Mechanical Properties of Discontinuous SiC Reinforced Aluminum Composites at Elevated Temperatures

High temperature mechanical properties of discontinuous, whisker and particulate, SiC reinforced aluminum composites, including 2124 and 6061 alloy matrices, are reviewed. It is shown that the behavior of these composites is similar to conventional oxide dispersion strengthened alloys. Namely, they exhibit a low strain rate senstivity and a high apparent activation energy for creep deformation. Despite the fact that the addition of SiC significantly improves the mechanical properties of aluminum at room temperature, the mechanical strength of the composite at elevated temperatures is dominated by the strength of the aluminum matrix This is because the SiC dispersoids are, in general, too coarse and they are not effective barriers for dislocation motion. It is also demonstrated that SiC particulate composites are less creep resistant than SiC whisker composites.