Dynamic behavior and fracture of granular composite Al-W

Abstract
Dynamic properties and fracture of Al-W granular composites with Al matrix were experimentally investigated. Materials with different porosities and morphology of W particles (coarse and fine) and samples with W wires embedded in Al matrix with an identical weight ratio between Al and W were fabricated by Cold Isostatic Pressing. For comparison Al samples with porosity similar to granular composites were also tested. The quasi-static and Hopkinson bar compression tests were employed to measure the mechanical properties of these materials and high speed camera was used to detect fracture behavior. It was shown that fracture and dynamic properties are sensitive to porosity and morphology of W inclusions, for example, dynamic strength in composite with fine W particles can be significantly larger than strength of composite with coarse W particles at similar porosity. Highest strength was observed in composites with W wires.