Simulation on the Impact of Porosity on the Properties of Ceramic Par-ticles Reinforced Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

Although the porosity in Al/SiC metal matrix composites can be reduced, its presence is inevitable. This study aims to investigate the influence of porosity and pore size on the performance of SiC reinforced aluminum matrix composites that contain porosity. To achieve this, we consider both constant and variable diameters of pores, assuming a circular shape while maintaining the same volume fraction. Finite element analysis is conducted on a square matrix reinforced with nine particles subjected to a tensile test. The simulation employs a two-dimensional plane strain model along with square, hexagonal, and random distributions of multiple particles. The results indicate that, despite the presence of pores, the stress transfer from the softer matrix to the reinforcement remains effective. Moreover, the properties of the composite are found to be increasingly sensitive to porosity and pore size, particularly when the pore diameter increases and the distance to the particles decreases.