Abstract
Particulate reinforced titanium matrix composites are relatively a new class of metal matrix composites, which are superior to aluminum matrix composites in high temperature (up to 650°C) and corrosive conditions (Abkowitz et al. 1995, Tong et al. 1995, Tong, 1996). Particulate-reinforced titanium composites are shown to have increased stiffness and strength; but their tensile ductility is strongly affected by the degree of metal-ceramic interfacial reaction during the consolidation and post-consolidation annealing processes (Tong et al. 1994). Formability and related damage evolution of such materials under dynamic loading are regarded to be vital to their secondary rapid forming, machining, cutting, and to the understanding of their wear and erosion properties. Some reinforcement particle damages have been observed during the processing of titanium composites, which can be related to the rapid build-up of very large local high stresses (Tong and Ravichandran 1994, Benson et al. 1995). The initiation and growth of damages at macro to micro scales in titanium composites are the focus of this investigation. The outcome of the investigation provides valuable guidance for optimizing materials processing for improved performance of particulate reinforced titanium composites and for their potential engineering applications.
