Modelling the deformation behaviour of W/Cu composites by a self-consistent matricity model

In the recent past, composites with inteqJenetrating microstructures of mechanically strongly ditTerent phases are of increasing importance as structural and functional materials in l1Umerous industrial application fields. In order to design such composites, it is thus important to develop methods for predicting their thermo-elastic-plastic mechanical properties. In this paper, systematic analyses are presented tur the W/Cu system with respect to modulus, them1al expansion coefficient, degree of interpenetration (matricity) and dependence of the plastic behaviour with respect to volume fraction, matricity and thennal expansion mismatch of the phases. Besides these global parameters the frequency distributions of total strains as a measure of deformation in the phases is obtained.'