Fabrication of a 2014Al-SiC/2014Al Sandwich Structure Composite with Good Tensile Strength and Ductility.

A sandwich structure laminate composed of a ductile 2014Al inter-layer and two nanoscale SiC reinforced 2014Al (SiC/2014Al) composite outer layers was successfully fabricated through the combination of powder metallurgy and hot rolling. The ductile 2014Al inter-layer effectively improved the processability of the sandwiched laminates. Tensile test revealed that the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the sandwiched laminate were 287 and 470 MPa, respectively, compared with 235 and 425 MPa for monolithic 2014Al. The good performance of the sandwiched laminate results from the strong bonding between the SiC/2014Al composites layer and the ductile 2014Al layer. Thus, the sandwich structure with a composite surface and ductile core is effective for increasing the strength and toughness of composite laminates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]