Interpenetrating metal ceramic composites (IMCCs), made from a metallic and ceramic phase, each fully interconnected, promise a great potential for the combination of two different materials. An increase in stiffness, strength and wear resistance could be proofed for metal-ceramic composites in literature already. Nevertheless, the complex interaction between the interpenetrating phases arises questions of the damage behavior and – dependent on the complexity of the 3D-microstructure – the elastic properties correlated with the damage state.
Previous studies of the authors investigated the impact from outer tensile and compression load on the microstructure and crack growth with in-situ methods like in-situ Scanning Electron Microscopy or in-situ Computed Tomography investigations on the surface and in the inner of the material. A detailed investigation of the mechanical properties and the impact of cyclic loading on the interpenetrating material structure, have not been investigated in detail, yet.
Therefore, this study deals with the investigation of cyclic damage in IMCCs and the impact of damage on the elastic properties. The IMCC made from an alumina preform with an open porosity of approximately 74 % and an AlSi10Mg alloy. Gas-pressure infiltration technique is used to infiltrate the liquid metal phase into the open porous alumina preform. Compression and tensile testing with increasing cyclic loading and unloading of the sample until final failure of the material are carried out in an universal testing machine. The elastic behavior is evaluated at every load step and averaged over the cycle number at the same load level. Elastic behavior and microstructural damage are correlated and cyclic tensile and compressive loading are compared.