Microstructural studies of matrix and interface in ceramic fibre-reinforced aluminium alloys
This study is a part of an ongoing research programme aimed at optimising the properties of ceramic fibre reinforced aluminium alloys. It involves a detailed study of matrix and interface and an understanding of the overall mechanical behaviour of the composite. Here, we report an investigation of an Al-7wt%Si alloy reinforced with alumina fibres. A range of techniques including analytical electron microscopy are used to characterise the structure of the fibre matrix interface, the crystallography and morphology of matrix precipitates, and dislocation substructures.It is shown that the eutectic structure of the Al-Si alloy is markedly changed in the presence of fibres, with silicon showing a tendency to segregate on the fibres. Coarse silicon particles are characterised by twins having the twin the {111} silicon habit plane and related by a rotation of 180° about the [110] direction.The particles have a lamellar morphology with the longitudinal axis lying in the {111} habit plane, but show no evidence of any epitaxial relationship with the aluminium lattice.