EFFECTS OF RIGID PLATELET ADDITIONS ON MATRIX TEXTURE AND MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT IN A MODEL PLATELET-REINFORCED COMPOSITE

Composites of lithium fluoride and silicon carbide provide a unique op portunity for exploring deformation textures in soft matrix-rigid rein forcement composites. The deformation to true strains near - 1.0 of un reinforced polycrystalline LiF produces substantial 110 and 100 fibre texture components in axisymmetric forging at 400-degrees-C. Additions of SiC platelets as a reinforcement phase suppress both texture compo nents, but not to the same extent. Mechanisms in the texture developme nt of LiF with 0, 10, 20 and 30 vol.% SiC platelets are discussed in r elation to microstructural and deformation results.