EFFECTS OF INTERFACIAL REACTION ON DEFORMATION AND FRACTURE BEHAVIOR OF TUNGSTEN FIBER NICKEL MATRIX COMPOSITES

The deformation and fracture behavior of the composites in which interfacial reaction occurred varied with such factors as the extent of interfacial reaction, fiber diameter, fiber volume fraction, and ductility of the fibers. The behavior at room temperature can be divided into three stages according to the extent of interfacial reaction. The influence of the extent of the reaction on tensile properties of the composites are discussed. The factors for deviations of the observed tensile strength from that calculated by assuming that the reaction did not take place are pointed out for each stage. Whether multiple fracture of the brittle zone occurs to a critical extent or not depends on the matrix volume fraction.