Thermal degradation of the tensile properties of undirectionally reinforced FP-Al2O3/EZ 33 magnesium composites

The effects of isothermal and cyclic exposure on the room temperature axial and transverse tensile strength and dynamic flexural modulus of 35 volume percent and 55 volume percent FP-Al203/EZ 33 magnesium composites were studied. The composite specimens were continuously heated in a sand bath maintained at 350 C for up to 150 hours or thermally cycled between 50 and 250 C or 50 and 350 C for up to 3000 cycles. Each thermal cycle lasted for a total of six minutes with a hold time of two minutes at the maximum temperature. Results indicate no significant loss in the room temperature axial tensile strength and dynamic flexural modulus of composites thermally cycled between 50 and 250 C or of composites isothermally heated at 350 C for up to 150 hours from the strength and modulus data for the untreated, as-fabricated composites. In contrast, thermal cycling between 50 and 350 C caused considerable loss in both room temperature strength and modulus. Fractographic analysis and measurement of composite transverse strength and matrix hardness of thermally cycled and isothermally heated composites indicated matrix softening and fiber/matrix debonding due to void growth at the interface and matrix cracking as the likely causes of the strength and modulus loss behavior. Previously announced in STAR as N82-21260