Experimental Study of the Strain Rate and Temperature Effects on the Mechanical Behavior of a Magnesium-Silicon Carbide Composite

The effects of strain rate and temperature on the mechanical behavior of a magnesium alloy (ZC71) and its corresponding composite reinforced with SiC particles are investigated. The experimental procedures of testing at high strain rate and different temperatures are described. The tensile stress-strain responses of both the base and the reinforced materials were found to depend on the applied strain rate (0.003 ≤ έ ≤ 700 s−1), the test temperature (−150 ≤ T ≤ 200°C) and the presence of reinforcement. Comparative results are presented in terms of the main mechanical parameters, and quantitative conclusions are obtained of the influence of temperature and strain rate, using quasistatic and dynamic tests, on the mechanical behavior of these materials.