MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AND CRYSTALLITE ORIENTATION DISTRIBUTION OF SiC_p REINFORCED ALUMINIUM MATRIX COMPOSITE SHEETS

The mechanical properties of an aluminium alloy sheet (Al-3.OCu-1.5Mg-0.4Mn)reinforced by 15% silicon carbide particulate via powder metallurgy technique were investigated under hot-and cold-rolling conditions,and the crystallite orientation distribution in these sheets were also determined by ODF analysis.The hot-rolled sheet composite exhibits much higher ultimate tensile strength and elongation comparing to those of the cold-rolled one. However, the cold-rolled sheet has an elevated 0.2% yield strength.The texture of the cold-rolled sheet composite consists of three weak components, i.e. shear component {001}110 and two other typical fcc components {110}112 and {3 3 14}773, while the hot rolling texture is almost random. The textured microstructure has an effect on the 0.2% yield strength and do not have any influence on the ultimate tensile strength.The decrease in ultimate tensile strength of the cold-rolled sheet is attributed mainly to the micro-damages produced during cold rolling.