TEMPERATURE-DEPENDENCE OF MODULUS IN PARTICLE-REINFORCED COMPOSITES

Particle reinforced composites are being considered, in applications r equiring an increased elastic modulus, over unreinforced alloys, and i n many cases the increased modulus is also required at elevated temper atures. In this paper the temperature dependence of the elastic modulu s is examined using a laser ultrasound technique. It is demonstrated t hat this non-contact method is capable of measuring the modulus up to temperatures of 700 K and is sufficiently sensitive to detect microstr uctural changes in some instances. In composites which have a stable m icrostructure over the temperature range from room temperature to 700 K, the elastic modulus decreases linearly with increasing temperature.