Strength and toughness of carbon fiber reinforced aluminum matrix composites

Two sets of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with both uncoated and SiC-coated Pitch-55 aligned carbon fibers were prepared having a volume fraction f=0.2 of reinforcement to test certain toughening strategies proposed earlier (A.S. Argon and V. Gupta, in G.K. Haritos and O.O. Ochoa (eds.), Damage and Oxidation Protection in High Temperature Composites, Vol. 25-2, ASME, New York, 1991, p. 1). Preparatory studies showed that the Pitch-55...