The strain ampli tude-controlled cyclic fatigue behavior of Al2O3 fiber reinforced Al–Si alloy composite at elevated temperatures

The strain amplitude-controlled fatigue characteristics of an Al–Si casting alloy and itscomposite reinforced with 17 vol% Al₂O₃ fibers (Al–Si/Al₂O₃) are studied at three different temperatures. Both the alloy and the composite showed different degrees of cyclic softening at elevated temperatures. Increasing the temperature, fatigue damage of either the alloy or the composite occurred with varying mode from brittle fracture of silicon particles to their separation from the aluminum matrix. This is explained by the different thermal expansion coefficients of silicon particles and the aluminum matrix. The reinforcement Al₂O₃ fibers in the composite showed a similar damage behavior with those silicon particles despite temperature variation