CAVITATION BEHAVIOR IN AL-SI EUTECTIC ALLOY

The accumulation of cavitation damage in an aluminum-silicon eutectic alloy (Al-13%Si) during superplastic flow has been examined as a funct ion of strain, strain-rate and temperature. Both cavitation damage and the microstructural changes occurring during deformation have been as sessed. The role of grain size and its stability in affecting the leve l of cavitation damage has been identified. It has been found that the percentage cavitation is primarily controlled by the level of strain and at increasing grain-size results in continuous cavity nucleation. Similar evidence has also been obtained from fracture surfaces.