Abstract
Fatigue properties and fatigue fracture mechanism were examined for SiC whisker reinforced A2024 aluminium matrix (SiCw/A2024) composite at 150°C. The fatigue strength tested at 150°C increased with increasing the volume fraction of SiC whisker up to 20%, although they were generally lower than those tested at R.T.. Fractographic analysis revealed that Mode I fatigue crack was formed by Stage I mechanism in SiCw/A2024 composite at 150°C in the same manner as that in A2024 matrix alloy. In the fatigue crack propagation region, the area fraction of dimple patterns for SiCw/A2024 composite tested at 150°C was smaller than that for the same composite tested at R.T.. It is suggested that SiC whiskers would have a much effect to Mode I crack initiation and propagation, but this effect becomes less significant at 150°C than that at R.T..
