Small Punch Test of LC4/SiC<sub>p</sub> Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

There have been growing demands of high performance metal matrix composites in advanced engineering applications in virtue of their high specific strengths. This paper is to report an assessment of the mechanical properties of LC4/SiCp metal matrix composites using an innovative testing technique, small punch test. The composite materials of this study were produced by stir casting method with particulate reinforcements of 7wt.% and 14wt.% of SiC respectively. Small punch testing was performed on the LC4 base alloy and the two composites materials. The small punch test is a relatively new mechanical testing technique capable of utilizing small disk-shaped samples to determine the mechanical properties of the test materials. In this study, the equivalent fracture strain, εqf of the LC4/SiCp MMCs was characterised and compared with the base alloy. The fracture mechanism of the test samples was examined using scanning electron microscopy.