Tensile properties of nanometric Al2O3 particulate-reinforced aluminum matrix composites

The hardness and tensile behaviors of aluminum matrix composites reinforced with nanometric Al2O3 particulate have been found to increase with the volume fraction of the reinforcement. Above 4 vol.% of Al2O3, however, the strengthening effect leveled off because of the clustering of Al2O3. The main strengthening mechanism was Orowan strengthening of effective nano-Al2O3 particles evenly distributed in the matrix.