Experimental and simulation studies of particle size effects on tensile deformation behavior of iron matrix composites

SiC particles with four different sizes of 3, 13, 21 and 45m were used as reinforcements to prepare iron matrix composite by electric heating dynamic hot-press sintering method. Tensile test at room temperature was carried out to investigate the influence of particle size on mechanical behavior. The results show that iron matrix composites with SiC particle of 13m achieve the best tensile strength and elongation. The stress-strain curves of those composites were simulated using a combined model taking into account the dislocation strengthening and particle-cracking probability based on Eshelby's equivalent inclusion method and the microstructures were observed to explain the experimental results. The iron matrix composites with SiC particle of 13m with excellent mechanical property can be reasonably attributed to the uniform reinforcement distribution compared with the ones with particle of 3m and the relative higher dislocation strengthening effects and lower particle-cracking probability compared with the ones with coarser particles.