ULTRASONIC EVALUATION OF THE PROCESSING OF FIBER-REINFORCED METAL-MATRIX COMPOSITES

Non-destructive evaluation techniques using ultrasonic shear wave and longitudinal wave interrogations have been employed to evaluate the co nsolidation behavior of a Ti-14Al-21Nb/SiC model composite containing a single SiC fiber. Partially and fully consolidated composite samples prepared by diffusion bonding methods were examined by these techniqu es, and the ultrasonic images obtained correlated with the results of metallographic characterization. A similar evaluation was carried out on a Ti-6Al-4V/SiC single-ply composite to illustrate the applicabilit y of these techniques to composites containing high fiber volume fract ions. The results indicate that ultrasonic NDE provides a quick and re liable tool for monitoring the consolidation of metal-matrix composite s.