Fabrication and evaluation of nanostructure Al-SiCp composite by accumulative roll-bonding

A nanostructured Al/SiCp composite was fabricated by accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process. The amount of SiC particles introduced into aluminum sheet by one cycle ARB was 0.22 mg/cm2. Increment of the number of ARB cycles increased the amount of SiC particles and enhanced the homogeneity of the distribution of SiC particles. Microstructural change in aluminum matrix with proceeding of the ARB was very similar to that of the ARB-processed unreinforced aluminum; showing a dislocation cell and/or sub-grain structure in samples of lower ARB cycles and ultrafine grained structure in samples of higher ARB cycles. The variation of tensile strength with the ARB was also very similar to that of unreinforced aluminum. However, the effect of strengthening by the ARB was higher in the Al/SiCp composite than in unreinforced aluminum due to an existence of the SiC particles and the formation of finer grains.