Dynamic plastic description and simulation analysis of SiCp/Al composites under high temperature and high strain rate

Abstract

SiCp/Al composites exhibit significant application value in industrial fields owing to their excellent comprehensive properties. To investigate the microstructural evolution of SiCp/Al composites during thermal deformation, dynamic compression tests were conducted using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) equipment, with test conditions set at temperatures ranging from 590 to 740 K and strain rates of 6400–8500 s⁻¹. This study elucidates the softening/hardening mechanisms, as well as the constitutive relationships, of SiCp/Al composites during dynamic plastic deformation, revealing that dynamic recrystallization (DRX) of the aluminum matrix is the primary cause of material softening during the deformation process. Combining grain nucleation theory and dislocation drive theory, a cellular automata (CA) model of SiCp/Al composites was constructed using a Matlab compilation algorithm. The results show that higher temperatures and lower strain rates facilitate the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization phenomenon. By comparing the microstructural evolution and rheological stress data, the model was verified to possess good predictive accuracy. This work provides a theoretical reference for controlling the microstructure and properties of SiCp/Al composites during deformation processes.