Effects of particle size on the thermal expansion behavior of SiCp/Al composites

The coefficients of thermal expansion (CTEs) of 20 vol% SiCp/Al composites fabricated by powder metallurgy process were measured and examined from room temperature to 450 °C. The SiC particles are in three nominal sizes 5, 20 and 56μm. The CTEs of the SiCp/Al composites were shown to be apparently dependent on the particle size. That the larger particle size, the higher CTEs of the composites, is thought to be due to the difference in original thermal residual stresses and matrix plasticity during thermal loading. At low temperature, the experimental CTEs show substantial deviation from the prediction of the elastic analysis derived by Kerner and rule of mixture (ROM), while the Kerner’s model agrees relatively well at high temperatures for the composite with the larger particle size.