Strain behaviour of copper-intermetallic layered composite

The structure evolution in the course of straining of a copper-intermetallic phases layered composite has been investigated. Examination of the slip lines distribution obtained in a tensile tested specimen revealed that shear banding was the essential feature of the composite deformation. At the early stage of plastic straining copper grains of the composite were deformed by the multiple slip. With increasing load, bands of localised deformation in the copper and in the intermetallic phases layers were observed. Subsequently cracks appeared in the layers of the intermetallic phases of the composite. Cracking of intermetallic layers in turn involves shear deformation of the copper layers which is localised in the spacing between opposite cracks. Localised deformation of the copper layers was prolonged till the composite failure.