Three-Dimensional Characterization of SiC Particle-Reinforced Al Composites Using Serial Sectioning Tomography and Thermo-mechanical Finite Element Simulation

Abstract

In this study, a serial sectioning technique was employed in order to visualize the threedimensional (3D) structure, and to accurately simulate the mechanical and thermal behaviors of SiC particle-reinforced Al composites. Sequential, two-dimensional (2D) optical images of the microstructure were acquired after polishing, and then reconstructed to develop 3D geometries for microstructural analyses and finite element modeling. Experimental compressive and thermal expansion tests were performed for comparison with the finite element method results. The Young's modulus and thermal expansion coefficient of the composite, predicted using the 3D microstructure-based finite element analyses, were in good agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, the 3D microstructure-based finite element model showed anisotropic thermal expansion behavior that was previously disregarded in the other models used in this study. Therefore, it was confirmed that the combined approach of serial sectioning and finite element modeling provides a significant improvement over 2D and 3D unit-cell modeling.

Multi-scale dynamic analysis of metal matrix composite shafts through morphological evaluations

“…Mechanical and thermomechanical properties can be predicted by the finite element (FE) analysis of a microstructure generated by computed tomography. 18,19 An FE-based homogenization technique provides an accurate prediction of effective mechanical properties. However, it is not suitable for all cases due to its high computational cost.…”

3D microstructure reconstruction of casting aluminum alloy based on serial block-face scanning electron microscopy

“…FIB is expensive, observable area is too small for region of interest and it may result in sample damage during direct milling by high-energy ions [11,12]. MSP is low cost but its mechanical damage is too much and resolution(in z axis) is not enough for nano/micro scale investigation [13][14][15]. Considering the balance between area of observed region and influence of mechanical damage during test, here, the 3D detailed features of Al-Si casting alloy was imaged by Serial block-face scanning electron microscope(SBFSEM), which uses a scanning electron microscope with a built-in serial sectioning ultramicrotome for collect high-quality, high-resolution serial images [16,17].…”

Continuum understanding of twin formation near grain boundaries of FCC metals with low stacking fault energy

“…In particular, prior studies on the microstructure-property linkage made with full-field calculations have proven to be successful in describing micromechanical behavior of polycrystalline materials. [15][16][17][18][19][20] In this work, we take a continuum mechanics perspective to reveal the mechanical nature of grain interactions and the resulting twin activities near grain boundaries that are often observed with TWIP steels. To fully consider the grain interactions that are expected to play a major role in the formation of mechanical twins near grain boundaries, we have used a crystal plasticity simulation with microstructural features that are statistically equivalent to those observed under experimental measures.…”