Abstract
We report on the novel application of nanoscratch characterization to provide insight into the plasticity mechanisms responsible for the behaviour of composites. Accordingly, we conduct deformation characterization with nanoscratch testing (DCNT) to study the deformation behaviour of two B4C reinforced ultrafine grained Al alloy tri-modal composites with average B4C particle sizes of ~1–6 μm and ~500 nm, respectively. To highlight the type of mechanistic information revealed in a DCNT study of composites, we concentrate on the influence of B4C particle size on deformation mechanisms.
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge financial support provided by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) [N00014-12-1-0237] with Dr. Lawrence Kabacoff as the program officer. The authors are also grateful to DWA Aluminium Composites for providing B4C in Sample II. The TEM and SEM work on the microstructure of Sample I from Dr Ying Li and Dr Zhihui Zhang, respectively, is also highly appreciated.