Effect of silica coatings on interfacial mechanical properties in aluminium-SiC composites characterized by nanoindentation

Nanoindentation has been used to locally characterize the mechanical behaviour of matrix-reinforcement interfaces in aluminium AA6061composites reinforced with uncoated and sol-gel coated SiC particles manufactured by a casting route. Differences in the mechanical properties of interfaces have been detected, as well as the effect of ageing on these properties.