| The basic precipitation behavior in whisker and particulate SiC reinforced 7091 and 2124 aluminum alloys has been characterized through differential scanning calorimetry in order to provide a fundamental understanding of the role of the reinforcement in influencing the ageing response of the aluminum matrix. As SiC content increased, zone formation was observed to accelerate and the volume fraction of zones forming in the marix was observed to increase. Conversely, the precipitation of transition and equilibrium phases appeared to be insensitive to SiC concentration. The major factors influencing the precipitation behavior in these age hardenable aluminum alloys in this study were the volume fraction of reinforcement in the matrix, the morphology of the reinforcement, and the method by which the material was processed prior to final ageing treatments. (Abstract shortened with permission of author.). |
