FIBER STRENGTH SELECTION AND THE MECHANICAL RESISTANCE OF FIBER-REINFORCED METAL-MATRIX COMPOSITES

For predicting the strength of fibre-reinforced metal matrix composite s, the in situ fibre strength value has to be introduced in the calcul ations. Tension tests series have been conducted on SIC fibres (SCS0 a nd SCS2 TEXTRON) before and after chemical interaction with a pure liq uid aluminium bath and the reacted fibres have been tested before and after dissolution of the aluminium coating simulating the metallic mat rix around the fibres. The results obtained for the different fibre ba tches show that the in situ fibre resistance may differ significantly from the strength of as-received or extracted fibres that is usually a dopted in the models.