High-temperature strength and damage evolution in short fiber reinforced aluminum alloys studied by miniature creep testing and synchrotron microtomography

The creep behavior of a squeeze-cast, short fiber reinforced Al metal matrix composite (MMC), consisting of an Al–11 wt.% Zn–0.2 wt.% Mg alloy reinforced with 15 vol.% Al2O3 Saffil® short fibers is investigated using miniature creep specimens. The small dimensions of the miniature creep specimens permit them to be machined from regions of an MMC block with different microstructures, thus allowing the effect of grain size and fiber texture on creep to be investigated on a more local level than is possible using conventional specimen geometries. The miniature creep specimens are subjected to uniaxial tensile stresses ranging from 3 to 40 MPa at temperatures between 573 and 623 K. It is shown that tests performed using the miniature creep specimen geometry are in good agreement with results previously obtained with standard creep specimens. Through interrupted creep experiments, it is observed that the creep back flow that occurs after unloading increases with increasing accumulated plastic strain. In the as-cast MMC, synchrotron microtomography reveals a fine distribution of pores whose spatial density increases with the spatial density of the fibers. The presence of fractured fibers in the crept MMC is also revealed. Some of the regions between fractured fiber fragments appear to be filled with matrix material, while others are voided.