Characteristics of thermal cycling in a magnesium alloy composite

Acoustic emission (AE) and dilatometry were used to monitor the internal thermal stresses and the related structural changes and matrix plastic deformation induced in a magnesium-based composite during thermal cycling. It is shown that the AE response and the residual strain after cycling depend significantly on the upper temperature of cycling. The results are explained in a quantitative analysis using a model that correlates the internal thermal stresses with the change in temperature.