Simultaneously increasing the high-temperature tensile strength and ductility of nano-sized TiCp reinforced Al-Cu matrix composites

Adding various amounts of nano-sized TiCp (0.1-0.7 wt%) made a simultaneous improvement in high-temperature strength and ductility of the Al-Cu matrix alloy. The influences of temperature and strain rate on the high-temperature tensile properties and θ′ precipitate sizes in the Al-Cu matrix alloy and the nano-sized TiCp/Al-Cu composites were investigated. Theoretical calculations suggest that the yield strength increment of the composites at 453 K was primarily attributed to the strengthening effect of both the refined θ′ precipitates and TiCp, while at 493 K only the strengthening effect of TiCp was predominant due to the significant coarsening of θ′ precipitates at this temperature.