Evolution of internal strain during plastic deformation in magnesium matrix composites

Synchrotron radiation diffraction during in situ tensile tests has been used to evaluate the internal elastic strains within the grains of magnesium alloy, AZ31, unreinforced and reinforced with 5 and 10% volume of SiC particles. Composites present initial thermal residual stresses, which are positive (tensile) in the matrix and negative (compressive) in the reinforcing particles. Internal elastic strains evolve in a similar behaviour in the unreinforced AZ31 and in both composites. However, the accumulated elastic strains are reduced in the case of the composite because a part of the applied load is borne by the ceramic particles.