Room temperature tensile fracture characteristics of in situ TiBw/Ti6Al4V composites with a quasi-continuous network architecture

a School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology, P.O. Box 433, Harbin 150001, China b Advanced Composites Centre for Innovation and Science (ACCIS), Bristol University, Bristol, BS8 1TR, UK Received 10 November 2010; revised 7 January 2011; accepted 10 January 2011. Available online 13 January 2011. In situ TiB-whisker-reinforced Ti6Al4V matrix composites with a quasi-continuous network reinforcement distribution exhibited an improved combination of room temperature tensile properties compared to the composites with a uniform reinforcement distribution. The unique microstructure consisting of a whisker-rich boundary region and a whisker-lean matrix region leads to unique fracture characteristics. Under tensile stress, the main crack follows the TiBw-rich region, which imparts the superior strengthening effect of TiBw. The relatively large TiBw-lean region contributes positively to the elongation to failure of the composites.