Tensile behaviour of squeeze cast AM100 magnesium alloy and its Al2O3 fibre reinforced composites

Magnesium alloys are increasingly used in automotive and aerospace applications mainly due to their light weight combined with reasonably high tensile properties. In addition to providing a large reduction in weight, magnesium alloys exhibit excellent machinability and good damping capacity. However, their low mechanical properties when exposed to elevated temperatures limit their usage. Making composites out of these magnesium alloys by reinforcing them with ceramic particles or fibres appears to be a viable alternative for improving their thermal stability. The work reported here involved experimental studies on the tensile behaviour of AM100 magnesium alloy and its composites at different temperatures. Fractographic studies justify the effect of temperature on the tensile behaviour. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.