Mechanical properties of nickel silicon carbide nanocomposites

Nanocomposite materials consisting of a nanocrystalline Ni matrix (grain size 10–15 nm) reinforced with sub-micron size SiC particulates (average particle size: 0.4 μm) up to 10.5 vol.% have been produced by pulse electrodeposition. Substantial improvements in mechanical properties including hardness, yield and tensile stress were obtained for the nanocomposite material, as compared with conventional Ni–SiC composites with a matrix grain size in the micrometer range. Tensile strengths up to four times that for conventional polycrystalline Ni and two times that for conventional polycrystalline Ni–SiC of comparable SiC content was measured. The tensile and yield strengths of the nanocomposite material with SiC content less than 2 vol.% were higher than those for pure nanocrystalline Ni of comparable grain size. For these nanocomposites an unexpected increase in tensile ductility was also observed when compared to pure nanocrystalline nickel. At higher SiC content (>2 vol.%) the strength and ductility were found to decrease to the detriment of the nanocomposite. Particle clustering was considered the main cause of this decrease.