Chj. Davies et al., MODELING PARTICLE FRACTURE DURING THE EXTRUSION OF ALUMINUM ALUMINA COMPOSITES/, Metallurgical and materials transactions. A, Physical metallurgy andmaterials science, 27(12), 1996, pp. 4113-4120
Particle fracture during the extrusion of a 6061/Al2O3/20p composite h
as been modeled using a modified comminution formulation. It has been
assumed that the particles contain a Poisson distribution of flaws, an
d that the distribution is specific to the alumina and the method of p
roduction; the particle distribution in the extrudate was characterize
d by the Rosin-Rammler (RR) distribution. The model relates macroscopi
c deformation variables to fracture and, starting with the distributio
n in the as-cast material in each case, is able to predict with reason
able accuracy changes in size distribution for three extrusion ratios.
Some discrepancy between prediction and experiment occurs at small si
zes. This is believed to result mainly from inaccuracies in the measur
ed data and effects of the continuous size distribution in representin
g a set of discontinuous data. The model is potentially generalizable
to any particulate-reinforced metal matrix composite (MMC).