Effects of particles size on the mechanical properties of SiC_p/2024Al composites

The effects of particles size on the mechanical properties of the SiC_p/2024Al composites with a high volume fraction (50%) of SiC particle prepared by squeezing casting method have been investigated. The results show that with the decrease of particle size from 40 μm to 10 μm, the bending strength of the composites can be increased with little change of fracture toughness. The bending strength and fracture toughness of SiC_p/2024Al with particle size of 10 μm are 806 MPa and 11.7 MPa · m^1/2, respectively. The main fracture mechanism is changed from particle cracked to particle/matrix interface debonding with the decrease of particle size.