Fabrication of Al/Cu Composite Reinforced with AISI 304 Stainless Steel Wires Through Accumulative Roll Bonding and Evaluation of Their Mechanical Properties

In the present study, a multilayer Al/Cu composite reinforced with AISI 304 stainless steel wires was fabricated through an accumulative roll bonding process. The microstructure and bonding integrity of different layers were investigated using optical and scanning electron microscopy. Mechanical properties of the produced composite samples were evaluated by tensile testing and micro-hardness measurements. Results showed that after six cycles of ARB processing, a multilayer Al/Cu composite with uniform distribution of Cu and AISI304 wires in an Al matrix is produced. Also, the results of tensile testing indicate that both the strength and elongation of the fabricated composite decrease with increasing the ARB cycle. Scanning electron microscopy analysis of the fractured surfaces of tensile specimens showed a combination of ductile rupture with deep dimple forming and cleavage fracture at different composite layers.