Texture and residual strain in SiC/Ti-6-2-4-2 titanium matrix composites

Residual strain and texture variations were measured in two Titanium matrix composites reinforced with Silicon Carbide fibers (Ti/SiC) of similar composition but fabricated by different processing routes. Each composite comprised a Ti-6242 {alpha}/{beta} matrix alloy containing 35% by volume continuous SiC fibers. In one composite, the matrix was produced by a plasma spray (PS) route, and in the other by a wire drawing (WD) process. The PS and WD composites were reinforced with SCS-6 (SiC) and Trimarc (SiC) fibers, respectively. The texture in the titanium matrices differed significantly, from approximately {approx} 1.1x random for the monolithic and composite produced by PS route to {approx} 17x random in the monolithic and {approx}6x random in the composite produced by the WD route. No significant differences in matrix residual strains between the composites prepared by the two procedures were noted. The Trimarc (WD) fibers recorded higher ({approx}1.3x) compressive strains than the SCS-6 (PS) fibers in all the measured directions. The plane-specific elastic moduli, measured in load tests on the un-reinforced matrices, showed little difference