Interpenetrating phase composites of -Cu system were produced via Spark-Plasma Sintering (SPS) oi nanocomposite powders. Under simultaneous action of pressure, temperature and electric current titanium diboride nanoparticles distributed in copper matrix move, agglomerate and form a fine-grained skeleton. Increasing SPS-temperature and he]ding time promote densification due to local melting of copper matrix When copper melting is avoided the compacts contain 17-20% porosity but titanium diboride skeleton is still formed representing the feature of SPS . High degree of densification and formation of titanium diboride network result in increased hardness of high-temperature SPS-compacts.

Thermosetting matrix composites have disadvantages in terms of moulding time, repairability and manufacturing cost. Thus the high-performance thermoplastic composites to eliminate such disadvantages have been developed so far. As a result of environmental and economical concerns, there is a growing interest in the use of thermoplastic composites. However, since their mechanical properties are very sensitive to the environment such as moisture, temperature etc., those behaviors need to be studied. Particularly the temperature is a very important factor influencing the mechanical behavior of thermoplastic composites. The effect of temperature have not yet been fully quantified. Since engineering applications of reinforced composites necessitate their fracture mechanic characterization, work is in progress to investigate the fracture and related failure behavior. An approach which predicts the tensile strength was perpormed in the tensile test. The main goal of this work is to study the effect of temperature on the result of tensile test with respect to GF/PE composite. The tensile strength and failure mechanisms of GF/PE composites were investigated in the temperature range 60℃ to -50℃. The tensile strength increased as the fiber volume fraction ratio increased. The tensile strength showed the maximum at -50℃, and it tended to decrease as the temperature increased from -50℃. The major failure mechanism was classified into the fiber matrix debonding, the fiber pull-out, the delamination and the matrix deformation.

Aluminum-based composites were fabricated by a powder-in sheath rolling method. A stainless steel tube with outer diameter of 12 mm and wall thickness of 1 mm was used as a sheath. A mixture of aluminum powder and particles of which volume content was varied from 5 to 20%, was filled in the tube by tap filling and then rolled by 75% reduction in thickness at ambient temperature. The rolled specimen was then sintered at 56 for 0.5 h. The mixture of Al powders and particles was successfully consolidated by the sheath rolling. The composite fabricated by the sheath rolling showed a recrystallized structure, while unreinforced Al powder compact fabricated by the same procedure showed a deformed structure. The unreinforced Al powder compact was characterized by a deformation (rolling) texture of which main component is {112}<111>, while the composite showed a mixed texture oi deformation and recrystallization. The sintering resulted in recrystallization in Al powder compact and grain growth in the composite.

In this study, densified 4D carbon/carbon composites were made from carbon fiber and coal tar pitch through the process of pressure impregnation and carbonization and then followed by carbonization and graphitization. To improve the oxidative resistance of the prepared carbon/carbon composites, the surface of carbon/carbon composites was coated on SiC by the pack cementation method. The SiC coated layer was created by depending on the constitution of pack powder, and reaction time of pack-cementation. The morpology of crystalline and texture of these SiC coated carbon/carbon composites were investigated by XRD, SEM/EDS observation. So the coating mechanism of pack-cementation process was proposed. The oxidative res istance were observed through the air oxidation test, and then the optimal condition of pack cementation was found by them. Besides, the oxidative mechanism of SiC formed was proposed through the observation of SiC coated surface, which was undergone by oxidation test.

Microstructure plays an important role in controlling the fracture behaviour of carbon-carbon composites and hence their mechanical properties. In the present study effort was made to understand how the different interfaces (fiber/matrix interactions) influence the development of microstructure of the matrix as well as that of carbon fibers as the heat treatment temperature of the carbon-carbon composites is raised. Three different grades of PAN based carbon fibres were selected to offer different surface characteristics. It is observed that in case of high-strength carbon fiber based carbon-carbon composites, not only the matrix microstructure is different but the texture of carbon fiber changes from isotropic to anisotropic after HTT to 2600℃. However, in case of intermediate and high modulus carbon fiber based carbon-carbon composites, the carbon fiber texture remains nearly isotropic at 2600℃ because of relatively weak fiber-matrix interactions.

Multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNT) were produced using the arc-discharge graphite evaporation technique. Composite films were developed using MWNT dispersed in polystirol polymer. In the present work, various properties of the polymeric thin film containing carbon nanotubes were investigated by optical absorption, electrical resistivity and the same have been discussed.

Unidirectional polymer composites were prepared using high-strength carbon fibers as reinforcement and phenolic resin as matrix precursor with keeping fiber volume fraction at 30, 40, 50 and 60% respectively. These composites were carbonized at 1000℃ and graphitised at 2600℃ in the inert atmosphere. The carbonized and graphitised composites were characterized for mechanical properties as well as microstructure. Microscopic studies were carried out of the polished surface of carbonized and graphitised composites after etching by chromic acid, to understand the effect of fiber volume fraction on oxidation at fiber-matrix interface. It is found that the flexural strength in polymer composites increases with fiber volume fraction and so does for the carbonised composites. However, the trend was found to be reversed in graphitised composites. In all the carbonized composites anisotropic region has been observed at fiber-matrix interface which transforms into columnar type microstructure upon graphitisation. The extension of strong and weak columnar type microstructure is function of fiber volume fraction. SEM microscopy of the etched surface of the sample reveal that composites containing 40% fiber volume has minimum oxidation at the interface, revealing a strong interfacial bonding.

4D carbon fiber preforms were manufactured by weaving method and their carbon fiber volume fractions were 50% and 60%. In order to form carbon matrix on the preform, coal tar pitch was used for matrix precursor and high density carbon/carbon composites were obtained by high densification process. In this process, manufacture of high density composites was more effective according to pressure increasement. When densificating the preform of 60% fiber volume fraction with 900 bar, density of the composites reached at 1.90 g/cm3 after three times processing. Degree of pressure in the densification process controls macro pore but it can not affect micro pore. During the carbonization process, micro pore of the preform were filled fully by once or twice densification processing. But micro pore were not filled easily in the repeating process. Therefore, over three times densification processing is the filling micro pore.

Processing and properties of composites with Ni-Fe content of 10 and 15 wt% were investigated. Homogeneous powder mixtures of /Ni-Fe alloy were prepared by the solution-chemistry route using , and powders. Microstructural observation of composite powder revealed that Ni-Fe alloy particles with a size of 20nm were homogeneously dispersed on powder surfaces. Hot-pressed composites showed enhanced fracture toughness and magnetic response. The properties are discussed based on the observed microstructural characteristics

The 6061 Al alloy based composites reinforced with 10 vol% SiC whiskers were prepared by powder metallurgy with the powders having the different sizes, i.e. < and> The composites were subjected to equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at various conditions and the microstructural changes during ECAP were examined In the composites SiC whiskers were clustered and randomly aligned. The clusters were relatively well distributed in the composite with the smaller initial powder size. After ECAP, the clusters were aligned parallel to flow direction and became smaller. In addition, the shape of clusters was changed from irregular to round. The microstructure of the ECAPed samples were compared with those of the conventionally hot-extruded composites. The uniform microstructure and enhanced microhardness could be obtained by using the powders having the smaller size, decreasing ECAP temperature and repeating ECAP.