Mechanical properties of aluminium/Inconel 601 composite wires formed by swaging

This work investigates the formability of a composite made of a pure alumin ium matrix reinforced with an Inconel fibre network. Composites were formed into wires by swaging, to a true strain epsilon(true) = 2.7. Thermal expan sion, Young's modulus and tensile properties of these wires were measured. Young's modulus of the wires is slightly larger than that of the as-cast co mposites, indicating that no significant porosity is present in the composi te after deformation. Tensile strength and ductility are found to decrease with increasing reduction of diameter. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) o bservations show that fibres align during swaging and that fibre fragmentat ion occurs beyond a certain strain. Fibre fragments reach a critical aspect ratio of about 7 after a swaging true strain of 1.5. Qualitatively, the ev olution of the properties is explained by a combination of fibre fragmentat ion and fibre alignment effects. Properties of the wires are discussed usin g the Clyne model and the Nardone and Prewo model (modified shear lag model s). (C) 1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers.