Aluminum Matrix Composites with Weak Particle Matrix Interfaces: Effective Elastic Properties Investigated Using Micromechanical Modeling.

The impact of weak particle-matrix interfaces in aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) on effective elastic properties was studied using micromechanical finite-element analysis. Both simplified unit cell representations (i.e., representative area or volume elements) and "real" microstructure-based unit cells were considered. It is demonstrated that a 2D unit cell representation provides accurate effective properties only for strong particle-matrix bond conditions, and underpredicts the effective properties (compared to 3D unit cell computations) for weak interfaces. The computations based on real microstructure of an Al-TiB