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Superplastic forming behaviour of complex shapes and post-forming mechanical properties of aluminium based SiCp reinforced metal matrix composites

Abstract From a commercial viewpoint superplastic forming of complex shapes using only a single operation and one surface tool is appealing, especially for metal matrix composites (MMCs) that are hard to form even at elevated temperatures due to low ductility and toughness. Furthermore, secondary machining operations are difficult due to the presence of extremely hard ceramic reinforcements such as SiC. A range of aluminium alloy based MMCs have indeed been shown to exhibit superplastic properties although most of these studies have been concerned with microstructural characterisation using small uniaxial tensile specimens. This paper therefore concentrates on high strain rate biaxial superplastic forming of complex shapes (critical feature) in MMCs where a forming envelope has been defined and post-forming mechanical properties investigated. Particulate reinforced MMCs based on aluminium alloys 7475 and 7178 were superplastically formed in a die with a 45° step at a range of temperatures and pressures. Formed specimens were sectioned to investigate cavitation and cross-sectional thinning. Tensile tests were performed on parent and formed material to investigate the effect of superplastic forming on mechanical properties. The MMCs were successfully formed over the temperature range 450–550°C achieving step angles α of 22–42°. This study has shown that high strain rate superplasticity (∼10-1 s-1)can be achieved giving a strain of 70% in only 3.5 s without SiC fracture, reinforcement–matrix decohesion or matrix cavitation making this technique economic and very attractive for commercial exploitation. Cross-sectional thinning was found to be uniform and in the order of ∼25% which could be accounted for at the design stage. The high strain rate superplasticity was found to be grain size dependent (<3 µm) but greater profile definitions were achieved when forming took place just above the matrix solidus. Superplastic forming above the matrix solidus temperature resulted in the achievement of the highest step angles in the complex shapes but had a detrimental effect on mechanical properties. This is thought to be due to the liquid phase present that aids grain boundary and interfacial sliding but has a similar effect to overheating during solution treatment and brittle phases are formed at the grain boundaries.