Materials Science and Engineering, A183 (1994) 49-58 49

Investigation of the effects of matrix microstructure and interfacial

properties on the fatigue and fracture behavior of a
Ti-15V-3Cr-3A1-3Sn/SCS9 composite

W. O. Soboyejo
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, The Ohio State University, 116 West 19th Avenue, Columbus,
OH 43210-1195 (USA)
(Received June 4, 1993; in revised form September 27, 1993)

Abstract
The results of a systematic study of the evolution of microstructure and damage in a metastable fl titanium matrix
composite are reported. The effects of matrix microstructure are studied by heat treatment below the fl transus which
promotes a transformation from fl to a + ft. Similarly, the effects of the fiber/matrix interface are investigated by annealing
above the fl transus which promotes inteffacial coarsening without significant changes in matrix microstructure. The
effects of thermal exposure above and below the fl transus are rationalized by considering the diffusion of a and fl
stabilizers. The initiation and evolution of damage in smooth specimens is also investigated under monotonic and cyclic
loading using acoustic emission techniques. Tensile strength degradation and low-cycle/high-cycle fatigue lives are
associated with the coarsening of interracial dimensions during thermal exposure. Trends in the evolution of damage are
also elucidated using filtered acoustic emission data and longitudinal sections of deformed specimens.

I. Introduction perature fracture and low-cycle fatigue/high-cycle

In recent years, there has been considerable interest
in titanium matrix composites (TNCs) for intermediate
temperature (< 650 °C) structural applications in air-
frame and aero-engine components [1-18]. This has
been stimulated largely by the ever-increasing demand
for the development of hypersonic vehicles, and the
relative ease of fabrication of ductile matrix TMCs [1,
2]. In conjunction with the composite development,
various workers have studied the damage initiation and
growth behavior [3-18] in this class of TMCs. How-
ever, there have been few attempts to investigate the
effects of fiber/matrix interfaces and matrix micro-
structure on the mechanical behavior/damage evolu-
tion in TMCs [8].
The results of a study of structure and damage
evolution in a Ti-15V-3Cr-3AI-3Sn/SCS-9 compo-
site are reported in this paper. These include the results
of microstructural evolution studies to evaluate the
stability of matrix microstructure and fiber-matrix
interfaces at 540 and 815 °C. The initiation and evolu-
tion of damage under monotonic and cyclic loading
conditions is studied using acoustic emission tech-
niques, and attempts are made to correlate damage
phenomena with composite microstructural features.
The micromechanisms of room- and elevated-tem-
fatigue (LCF/HCF) are also elucidated.
2. Experimental procedure
The material was supplied by Textron Specialty
Materials, Lowell, MA. It was produced by the foil/
fiber/foil approach in a hot isostatic pressing (HIPing)
of Ti-15V-3Cr-3A1-3Sn and SCS-9 fibers mounted
on a molybdenum wire frame. The HIPing was con-
ducted for 2 h at 982 °C, under a pressure of 103 MPa.
This resulted in a metastable matrix with large
(100/~m) fl grains, and a somewhat non-uniform fiber
lay-up (Fig. l(a)). A multi-layered reaction zone with a
total width of approximately 2 - 4 / a m was observed
between the fiber and the matrix in the as-received
material, and a continuous fl layer was stabilized by the
molybdenum wire (Fig. l(b)). The effects of annealing
in the a + fl and fl phase fields were investigated by
annealing tensile and LCF/HCF specimens at 540 and
815°C, respectively, for durations between 10 and
100 h.
Tensile and LCF/HCF tests were conducted on 76.2
or 152.4 mm long specimens with rectangular
(0.6× 12.7 mm 2) cross-sections. The initiation and
evolution of damage were monitored in the guage sec-

0921-5093/94/$7.00 © 1994 - Elsevier Sequoia. All rights reserved

SSDI 0921-5093(93)09438-O
50 W. O. Soboyejo / Fatigueand fracture of Ti-15V-3Cr-3AI-3Sn/SCS9 composite
lOpm
H El
i:
!
J
(a)
Fig. 1. Effects of annealing at 815 °C on layered fiber/matrix interfaces and matrix microstructures: (a) as-received (included for com-
parison), (b) 815 °C/10 h/AC, (c) 815 °C/50 h/AC, (d) 815 °C/100 h/AC (AC = air cooled).
tions using two semi-circular piezo-electric probes
(diameter of 19.1 mm) that were located at both ends
of the guage sections, and connected to a computer-
controlled acoustic emission unit. The two probes were
employed to provide information on the locations/
sources of acoustic activity. The tests were performed
at room temperature 25 °C and 650°C. The tensile
specimens were loaded monotonically to failure at a
strain rate of 5 x 10 -4 s -1, and the LCF/HCF speci-
mens were subjected to constant stress amplitude load-
ing at a cyclic frequency of 10 Hz. Acoustic emission
was used to monitor damage only during the room-
temperature tests, and no attempts were made to moni-
tor damage at elevated temperature due to the
temperature limitations of the piezo-electric probes.
The LCF/HCF specimens were subjected to con-
stant amplitude loading in the stress range,
Aor= O'max O'min,between 0.5 and 0.7 of the ultimate
- -
tensile stress. Acoustic emission techniques were also
used to determine the initiation thresholds for micro-
cracking under monotonic and cyclic loading condi-
tions. These techniques involved the filtration of
acoustic signals that were within the "noise" range of
the acoustic emission equipment, i.e. signals with
amplitudes less than 40 dB. The evolution of damage
was monitored continuously during the tests using fil-
tered and unfiltered acoustic emission signals. After
testing, the fracture surfaces of the specimens were
studied by scanning electron microscopy, and longi-
tudinal/transverse cross-sections of the specimens
were examined by optical microscopy to investigate
the possibility of microcracking or decohesion prior to
specimen failure. The microstructures arising from the
different annealing schedules were also characterized
using optical and scanning Auger microscopy tech-
niques.
3. Results and discussion
3.1. Matrix microstructures and interfaces
The microstructures of the as-received and annealed
specimens are shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Annealing at
540 °C promoted a transformation from fl to a + fl in
the matrix, and very limited coarsening of the layered
interfaces (Table 1). Annealing at 815 °C resulted in
significant coarsening of the fiber/matrix interface, and
a greater incidence of larger (2-4 ~m) "blocky" par-
ticles after annealing at 815 °C for 100 h (Fig. l(d)).
The latter can clearly induce premature failure by
initiating cracks at the fiber/matrix interface during
fiber pull-out under monotonic or cyclic loading. How-
ever, unlike the 540 °C anneals, the 815 °C annealing
schedules did not promote a transformation from a to
fl since this temperature is above the fl-transus of
approximately 800 °C.
 W, O. Soboyejo / Fatigueand fracture of Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn/SCS9 composite 51

The diffusion profiles/compositions of the layered
interfaces determined by careful examination of the
scanning Auger microscopy and energy dispersive
X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) data are presented in
Figs. 3 and 4, respectively. Note that the compositions
that are less than 1 at.% are within the limits of the
experimental error of the EDAX technique, and that
the dashed lines in Fig. 4 indicate E D A X compositions
that are less than 1 at.%. Significant differences were
observed between the diffusion schemes that control
the potential matrix transformations and the formation
(a) ; ~
10 um
Fig. 2. Effects of annealing at 540 °C on layered fiber/matrix
interfaces and matrix microstructures: (a) 540 °C/10 h/AC, (b)
540 °C/100 h/AC (AC = air cooled).
of the layered interfaces during thermal exposure at
540 and 815 °C.
The results in Figs. 3 and 4 show quite clearly that C
and Si diffuse from the SCS-9 (carbon-coated SiC)
fiber into the matrix. The matrix is therefore contami-
nated by these elements which are likely to degrade its
fracture properties. In general, annealing at 540 °C was
found to promote the diffusion of a stabilizers (AI and
Sn) into the matrix, thus enhancing the transformation
from fl to a +fl, as shown in Fig. 2. However, it is
important to note that Cr, a well-known eutectic fl
stabilizer, was observed to diffuse into the matrix dur-
ing thermal exposure at 540 °C. It is therefore pre-
sumed that Cr diffuses initially into the interface during
processing. The direction of Cr diffusion may then be
reversed upon saturation of the interface with Cr. It is
also important to note that prolonged annealing at
540 °C appeared to promote a reversal in the direction
of Sn diffusion (Fig. 3) presumably as a result of inter-
facial saturation.
Annealing at 815 °C promoted the initial diffusion
of all the matrix alloying elements towards the fiber
(Fig. 4). This was followed by a reversal in the direction
of diffusion of A1, Sn and Cr after 50 h of thermal
exposure at 815 °C. The initial diffusion of all the
matrix alloying elements into the fiber/matrix inter-
faces is clearly responsible for the significant coarsen-
ing of the interface during thermal exposure at this
temperature. However, the reversal in the diffusion
direction of Cr, A1 and Sn observed after the 100 h
anneal at 815 °C is not consistent with the significant
increase in the interfacial dimensions that was
observed after prolonged exposure.
The stability of the Ti-15V-3Cr-3AI-3Sn/SCS-9
composite is therefore strongly dependent on tempera-
ture and the duration of exposure. At 540 °C, the fiber/
matrix interface is relatively stable, and the
transformation of the metastable fl matrix of the as-
received material to an a + fl structure is completed

TABLE 1. Effects of thermal exposure on the average dimensions of layered interfaces

Coating thickness Fiber coating Fiber matrix Fiber matrix Blocky particle
(ktm) interface thickness interface1 thickness interface2 thickness size
(/~m) (/gm) (/~m) (/~m)
540 °C/10 h/AC 1.6 0.2 2.1 0.8 3.7
540 °C/50 h/AC 1.6 0.6 2.0 0.5 --
540 °C/100 h/AC 2.0 -- 1.9 1.0 2.2
815 °C/10 h/AC 1.6 -- 2.7 0.8 --
815 °C/50 h/AC1.5 0.2 2.4 1.1 2.2
815 °C/IO0 h/AC1.8 0.1 3.5 1.1 4.3
As-received (included 1.8 0.2 2.0 0.4 2.1
for comparison)
52 W. O. Soboye]o / Fatigueand fracture of Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn/SCS9 composite

I(s l. Fib~,-.~:~-:I Fiber- I ~iber- I I Fiber.

Fiber matrix [ matrix I M a ~ , I
l: <~ting : [ : ~ n l l : ]
I interfaee.Llnteffac,l interface ] interfa~ I ] matrix I Matrix I
I: : .~.Ti :::! @ I (Z) I(T~At s~I
,CT,)I(S '.c. :)[:(S!,c.r~,s, vc~, s v ml v;,,.,~,;'[
(Ti,Si.V, ! gt_,Al~ I
= Ti •

Ti e
• Si 04-----0 V n
• . (~
•. Si
(a) Cr
. . . . ~ Sn
• .- -- _• AI :-" /d
" i : : : ] Fiber- Fiber- Matrix .............. • ~ Cr
Fiber IiCoating|
i i
matrix matrix (J3~ot+[3)
1: : : : : iL~'terfacc interfac¢
..... (D (~ Ti,V,AI,Si
(Si,C,Ti) ~(gi,C;Ti) i,Si,V,C Ti Si.V.AI,C V.Sn,Cr)
Ti , Fiber- Rber-
=q---- o, V • matrix
• C"l, •
Fiber i G.°afi.n.g ; in%ace int~afematrix Matrix
* .~L
-< AI -~ AI
........ Sn_ . . . . . ~ Sn (Si.C.Ti) :(Si,C~.): I (Ti.Si.V,c,
Al) (T'LSi,V,c,
AI) (Ti,AI,Si,
(b) '¢" . . . . ~ Cr V,Sn,Cr)
Ti
l::::: I Fiber- Fiber- [ Matrix g4-- -- -- -- • V ,I
Fiber {'. C.~u~ng : I matrix matrix l ~-.x+p) I-I

..... (i) " (Ti,3V,AI,Si, ,4____ AI

(Si,C,Ti)[ :(Si,CITi) :](l"i,Si'V,C', Ti,Si,V,C,Nb)4 V,Sn,Cr,Nb)
~t Ti , ........... --Cr__ O
~ - - - - o V ,
• C

........ : :~AI
e~- - - - o e.@- . . . . . . . . . . . = -~ SI~

(c)
~t- . . . . . . . e-~Cr
,,q-. _ _ ..Nb. _ _ _ o II~.. lI. .ii!il
..
°.-I Fib.,. I
I matrix ~ matrix I matrix'l Blockyl . . . . . I
I I I
j rmer it.oaungl interface]interfacelinterfacelPanicted"au~l
I ..... Fibcr- Matrix
Rbe, :co;,6,i matrix (p-m+~) I(Si,C,]iSi.e,:[ . [ mV
interface IT~)I • T,)lcs',c,T',l v,c~ I c.^D/ si.v')Iso.o)l
cri,V,AI,Si, Ti
(Si,C,Ti) I~gi,C';T; (Ti.Si,V.Sr.C) Cr.Sn.C) e4 0

eq-- . . . . . .
V 0
Ti e
V Si
C
Si ,q_ ..M _ :~AI
*-~AI m- . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . -+~Sn
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~g~Cr
"4- . . . . . . . ~-~ Cr
(d) ~ _ _ _ Z,,'b. _ _ _ ..,,

Fiber-matrix interface(~)is titanium-rich compared to(~and Ti is Fiber-matrix intcrface(~)is titanium-rich compared t o , and Ti is
rejccted by fiber during I00 h anneal rejected by fiber during the 50 and 100 h anneals

Fig. 3. Diffusion schemes associated with thermal exposures at Fig. 4. Diffusion schemes associated with thermal exposures at
540 °C: (a) as-received (included for comparison), (b) 540 °C/ 815°C: (a) 815°C/10 h/AC, (b) 815°C/50 h/AC, (c) 815°C/
10 h/AC, (c) 540°C/50 h/AC, (d) 540°C/100 h/AC (AC=air 100 h/AC (AC = air cooled).
cooled).

(2-4 gm) particles which have a detrimental effect on

within 10 h. This transformation is controlled largely fatigue and fracture properties, as discussed in the next
by the diffusion of a stabilizers into the matrix. At two sections.
815 °C, both the interface and matrix remain relatively
stable for exposure durations up to 50 h. However, 3.2. Tensile fracture
1 0 0 h exposure at 815°C promotes significant The tensile fracture properties are presented in
coarsening of the interface and the formation of blocky Table 2 for as-fabricated material and material
 W. O. Soboyejo / Fatigueand fracture of Ti-15V-3Cr-3AI-3Sn/SCSg composite 53

TABLE 2. Summary of tensile properties

25°C 650°C

Condition/heat treatment Ultimate tensile stress Total strain to failure Ultimate tensile stress Total strain to failure
(MPa) (%) (MPa) (%)

As-fabricated 939 1.3 733 2.6

815 °C/10 h/AC 947 1.5 852 2.5
815 °C/50 h/AC 960 1.6 652 2.2
815 °C/100 h/AC806 0.8 875 2.6

annealed at 815 °C. Annealing durations up to 15 h did

not have a significant effect on room-temperature ten- 8o
sile properties. However, exposure at 815 °C for 100 h "' 60
resulted in a drop of almost 15% in tensile strength,
~ 40
and a 40-50% decrease in the total strain to failure. E
~ 20
These changes in the tensile properties after annealing Z
0
at 815°C for 100 h are associated with significant 0 0.80 1.60 2.40 3.20 4.00
coarsening and the possible formation of brittle inter- (a) Time ( I03/secl
metallic phases/large (2-4/~m) "blocky" precipitates at
the fiber/matrix interface. No clear trend was observed
in the elevated-temperature (650 °C) tensile data (Table 100
2), although it is important to note that the composite 80
retained relatively high strengths (652-852 MPa) at 00
650 °C. This suggests that the composite strengths are 40
representative of the combined strengths of the fiber
20
bundles and intermetallic phases at the fiber/matrix
0
interface. Both of these would be expected to have 0 0.80 1.60 2.40 3.20 4.00
ductile-to-brittle transition temperatures greater than
(b) Time ( 10 3/.$ec)
650°C, and hence only a relatively small loss of
strength is observed at this temperature (Table 2).
An understanding of the trends in the tensile 100
property data can be developed by careful examination 80
of the acoustic emission results and fracture surface ~~
morphologies. Acoustic emission plots of the number ~ 60
40
of events vs. time are presented in Fig. 5. These show
20
an initial "quiet" period during which no acoustic z
0
activity was detected. This quiet period was followed 0 0.80 1.60 2A0 3.20 4.00
by a period of almost constant amplitude acoustic
(c) Time ( I03/scc )
activity, and a final burst of acoustic activity prior to
final failure. Based on previous experience with
titanium matrix composites, acoustic emission signals ~s0 I I
with amplitudes below 40 dB were considered to be

t
120 -
within the range where noise signals are significant. A 90-
40 dB threshold was therefore used to establish initia- 60-
tion thresholds. These corresponded with the onset of
30-
fiber/matrix decohesion/matrix yielding and the knee I I
0'
in the tensile stress/strain curve. Examination of the 0.80 1.60 2.40 3.20 4.00
acoustic emission data also revealed that 70 dB signals (d) Time I I0 3/Sec)
were in the range where the onset of catastrophic
Fig. 5. Acoustic emission activity during monotonic loading of
failure/fracture was generally observed. A 70 dB frac- tensile specimens to failure at 25 °C: (a) as-received (included for
ture onset stress was therefore established for the dif- comparison), (b) 815°C/10h/AC, (c) 815°C/50h/AC, (d)
ferent conditions that were investigated. 815 °C/100 h/AC (AC =air cooled).
54 W. O. Soboye]o I Fatigueand fracture of Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn/SCSg composite

The effects of thermal exposure at 815 °C on the
40 dB initiation threshold and 70 dB fracture onset
stresses are shown in Fig. 6. Also included in Fig. 6 are
ultimate tensile stresses which follow similar trends to
those of the 40 dB and 70 dB threshold stresses, i.e.
threshold and ultimate tensile stresses remained stable
for thermal exposures up to 50 h, and decreased sig-
nificantly afterwards. Such stable threshold/fracture
properties are consistent with relatively stable inter-
facial dimensions after thermal exposures at 815 °C for
durations up to 50 h (Table 1). The drop in threshold
and ultimate tensile stresses observed in the material
annealed at 815 °C for 100 h is associated with signifi-
cant coarsening of the interface, and the formation of
large (2-4 ~m) "blocky" precipitates (Fig. l(d)) which
can clearly induce microcracking/failure during fiber
pull-out. Some of the trends may also be attributed to
the effects of contamination via the interdiffusion of
consitituent elements such as carbon and silicon.
It is of interest to relate the acoustic emission data to
the fractographic evidence obtained after the tests.
Typical surface morphologies are shown in Fig. 7.
615 MPa 689 MPa 654 MPa
(89.2 ksi) (100 ksi) (94.9 ksi) 428
";';~;';';';~i~ (62.1 ks,)
These reveal evidence o f considerable decohesion
at the fiber/matrix interface. The ductile
Ti-15V-3Cr-3A1-3Sn matrix [19] also failed by a
ductile dimpled fracture mode. The occurrence of
matrix yielding may therefore explain the relatively
high composite fracture strains (measured using an
extensometer at room temperature, and estimated
from stroke values at elevated temperature) between
1% and 2% at room and elevated temperatures (Fig. 8
and Table 2). This suggests that the composite fracture
strain is determined by a combination of fiber fracture
strains (typically between 0.5% and 1%) and matrix
fracture strains (typically between 10% and 20%).
The acoustic activity is therefore attributed to matrix
yielding and debonding along the molybdenum wire or
fiber/matrix interfaces, and fiber pull-out. Elucidation
of the sequence of damage phenomena, however, is not
possible at this stage, although the role of matrix (Mode
I) cracking is thought to be limited to the final stages of
damage since no matrix cracks were observed in the
different cross-sections that were examined within the
gauge sections subjected to uniform Stress. Also, the
extent of decohesion and pull-out apeared to increase
with increasing annealing duration (Fig. 7). This is con-
sistent with the apparent increase in acoustic emission
activity for 815 °C exposures up to 50 h (Fig. 5).
The initiation of fracture at room temperature in the
Ti-15V-3Cr-3AI-3Sn/SCS-9 composite therefore

(a)
698 MPa 780 MPI 710 MPI
001.3 ksi) (I13.1 ksi) (103.0Ir.~) 530 MPa

iiiiiiiiiiiiiii
(b)
939 MPa 947 MPa 946 MPa
(136.2 ksi) (137A ksi) (137.2ksi) 734 MPa

(c)
Condifion/d~ermalexposure

V-'-] A~-Reccived ~ 8 ! 5'~./S0 h/AC

[~7~ 815eC/10h/AC ~ 815~-/100 h/AC

AC = Air Cool
Fig. 6. Comparison of threshold and failure stresses: (a) 40 dB
initiation threshold stress, (b) 70 dB fracture onset stress, (c)
failure stress.
Fig. 7. Typical fracture surface morphologies of tensile speci-
mens fractured at 25 and 650°C under monotonic loading:
(a) 815°C/IOOh/AC (25°C), (b) 815°C/50h/AC (650°C)
(AC = air cooled).
 W. O. Soboyejo I Fatigueand fracture of Ti-15V-3Cr-3AI-3Sn/SCS9 composite 55

occurs at stresses between 65% and 75% of the ulti-
mate tensile stress, while the onset of catastrophic
failure generally occurs at stresses between 75% and
85% of the ultimate tensile stress. Also, the acoustic
emission activity detected under monotonic loading is
attributed largely to decohesion at the fiber/matrix
interface, and it increases significantly after the 100 h
exposure at 815 °C which promotes significant fiber/
matrix interface coarsening and the formation of large
(2-4/~m) "blocky" precipitates at the fiber/matrix
interface (Fig. l(d)). Such coarsening of the interface
and the formation of "blocky" particles will clearly
influence the frictional resistance of the interface to
fiber pull-out crack initiation via decohesion. The
trends in the initiation and failure stresses (Table 2) are
therefore attributed mainly to changes that occur in the
fiber/matrix interface during heat treatment and mono-
tonic loading.
3.3. Low cycle fatigue/high cycle fatigue (LCF/HCF)
behavior
The S-N curves obtained at room and elevated tem-
peratures are presented in Fig. 8. Annealing at 815 °C
for 50 h decreases the fatigue lives at high stress ranges
(Ao=0.7 UTS), and the corresponding number of
cycles to failure are significantly lower at 650 °C after
annealing at 815 °C for 50 h. The effects of annealing
on the LCF/HCF behavior are attributed to the
partly to chemical changes that occur in the matrix/
interface/fiber as a result of the interdiffusion of con-
stituent elements (Fig. 4).
Evidence of damage initiation and evolution during
cyclic loading at room temperature is presented in Fig.
9. This shows filtered acoustic emission data obtained
from specimens subjected to different heat treatment
conditions. The high initial level of acoustic activity
observed during the early phase of fatigue loading is
attributed to initial decohesion at the interface since no
matrix microcracking was observed within the longi-
tudinal cross-sections of the LCF/HCF specimens. The
decohesion initiation phase was usually associated with
relatively low acoustic amplitudes, and was followed by
a quiet phase during which the acoustic amplitudes
remained relatively small. This second phase extended
through most of the fatigue life, and was followed by a
third phase during which a rapid increase in acoustic
activity was observed. The acoustic activity during this
third and final stage is attributed to matrix/fiber frac-
ture.
The use of two probes in the acquisition of acoustic
emission data provided useful information about the
50 I I I I
4O
30

1
OC,
coarsening of the fiber/matrix interface which occurs 20
after thermal exposure at 815 °C (Fig. 1 and Table 1). I0 I 1 l_ .,a,R

In addition to the effects of changes in the dimensions 2: 00 1440 2880 4320 5760 7200
of layered fiber/matrix interfaces, the lower fatigue Time (sec)
lives obtained after annealing at 815 °C are attributed (a)

I I i i

[.~ 1:0
800
O AI-Rcx¢ived, 25"Ct~tI

J
@o
A 815"C~50h/AC, 25°C w.sn .8 ^l
700 1"3 ! 15"C/50 h/AC. 650'C ~ m . k ..I
Z 0 1800 36OO 5400 7200 9000
Time (sec)
600 (b)
Stress O

j
range, Ao
500

(MPa)
OO
400-
.8 ^l
L_ . L__.

300- Z 0 480 960 1440 1920 2400

Time (sec)
(c)
200 1 I
10 3 104 105 106 Fig. 9. Comparisons of acoustic emission amplitudes in as-
received and annealed material subjected to LCF/HCF loading
Numberof cycles to failure, NF
at 25°C: (a) as-received, Act=0.5 U T S - - 4 7 0 MPa, (b) as-
Fig. 8. Plots of stress range vs. number of cycles to failure (S-N received, A o = 0 . 6 U T S = 5 6 4 MPa, (c) as-received, A o = 0 . 7
curves) obtained at 25 and 650 °C. UTS = 657 MPa (AC = air cooled).
56 W. O. Soboyejo / Fatigueand fracture of Ti-15V-3Cr-3AI-3Sn/SCS9 composite

variation of acoustic emission amplitudes within the
gauge sections, as shown in Fig. 10. The results show
the spread of acoustic activity/damage across the gauge
section, and the clustering of acoustic activity at the
point of fracture. Such data can be used to routinely
determine initiation and failure sites in composite
materials that fail by multi-site damage. Damage loca-
tion can also be used to assess the homogeneity of
damage within the gauge section. It is therefore of par-
ticular interest to note that the levels of acoustic ampli-
tudes were fairly uniform across the gauge section (Fig.
10), thus indicating the apparent uniformity of damage
within this region. Note also that the range of ampli-
tudes detected within the gauge section increased with
increasing stress range, and was higher in material
annealed below the a transus (Fig. 10).
Fractographic examination of the LCF/HCF reveals
some interesting damage phenomena. Typical fracture
surface morphologies are shown in Fig. 11. These pro-
vide strong evidence of decohesion and some fiber
pull-out during fatigue failure at room temperature.
The extent of decohesion and fiber pull-out also
appears to increase with increasing stress range, es-
,_, 105 I I ' I
Clustering at
.~ 75 fracture site ~
.a 60
4s
I " "1 I "
< 3020 22 24 26
Location (cm)
(a)
pecially in the material deformed to failure at 650 °C.
In all cases, matrix fracture occurred by ductile
dimpled fracture at both room and elevated tempera-
ture. However, there was no fractographic evidence of
progressive matrix fatigue crack growth, and the acous-
tic activity appears to have been due to interfacial
decohesion/fiber pull-out. The extent of decohesion
also appears to increase with increasing annealing
duration and test temperature, as shown in Fig. 11.
Finally in this section, it is of interest tO highlight the
potential use of the acoustic emission technique in the
determination of damage initiation and propagation
components. This can be accomplished by the filtration
of acoustic signals below 40 dB (Fig. 9) from stored
acoustic signals. This signal level was found to cor-
respond to the maximum "noise" levels in previous
studies. The 40 dB filtered acoustic emission plots
should therefore be devoid of inconsistencies due to
noise signals from the equipment and/or test fixtures.
Examination of the acoustic emission profiles also
revealed that the fracture onset was generally asso-
ciated with signals greater than or equal to 70 dB. Frac-
ture onset was therefore assumed to correspond to the
first incidence of a 70 dB signal.
A clear example of the practical value of the above
1 l 40 dB thresholds is provided in Fig. 12. This shows the
number of cycles required for the initiation of an
I
28 30

I I Clustexing
I ' at I "i
fracture site ~ : ~

"~"
< " 1 i "'~" t" i -
20 22 24 26 28 30
Location(cm)
(b)

m" ~- ' ' huster[ng at--]

f " " " e.aoturosite

20 22
' -;:i i " i
" "1~-"
24 26 28 30
Location (em)
(c)
Fig. I 0. Comparisons of acoustic emission amplitudes located Fig. 11. Typical fracture surface morphologies of composites
along the gauge sections of as-received and annealed composites subjected to LCF/HCF loading at 25 + and 650 °C×: (a) 815 °C/
subjected to LCF/HCF loading at 25°C: (a) as-received, 50 h/AC +, A a = 0 . 7 U T S = 6 6 2 MPa, (b) 815 °C/50 h/AC ×,
A a = 0.5 UTS = 470 MPa, (b) as-received, A o = 0.6 UTS = 564 A a = 0 . 7 U T S = 4 5 6 MPa ( A C = a i r cooled). Note that + and ×
MPa (c) as-received, A a = 0.7 UTS = 657 MPa (AC -- air cooled). denote test temperatures in (a) and (b) respectively.
 14:.O. Soboyejo / Fatigue and fracture of Ti-15V-3Cr-3AI-3Sn/SCS9 composite
acoustic signal greater than 40 dB, Ni; the measured
number of cycles to failure, Nf; and the number of
cycles required for the propagation of damage, i.e.
Np = N f - N~. It is easy to determine from Fig. 12 that
both N i and Np decrease with increasing stress range
and thermal exposure. It is also evident that most of the
fatigue life at room temperature is occupied by the
damage initiation stage. Once damage is initiated, it
propagates rapidly, especially after thermal exposures
at 815 °C for durations greater than or equal to 50 h.
The fatigue life prediction methodologies for the
Ti-15V-3Cr-3A1-3Sn/SCS-9 composite must there-
fore account for both the initiation and propagation
stages of damage, and the inherent degradation of
fatigue properties that occurs after thermal exposures
in the potential service temperature range. More work
is clearly needed in this area to facilitate the safe appli-
cation of titanium matrix composites.
4. Conclusions
(1) Thermal exposure at 540 °C promotes a trans-
formation of the metastable fl matrix to a transformed
a + fl structure. This transformation is controlled by
the diffusion of a and fl stabilizers, and the trans-
formed structure is microstructurally stable for iso-
thermal exposures up to 100 h.
(2) Thermal exposure at 815°C promotes signifi-
cant coarsening of the layered interfaces and the for-
mation of large "blocky" particles at the fiber/matrix
interface after prolonged exposure. The metastable fl
matrix does not transform during thermal exposure at
815 °C for durations up to 100 h.
(3) The 40 dB damage initiation and 70 dB propa-
gation threshold stresses established using acoustic
emission techniques show that the damage resistance
Ni Np
41,800
0.5 UTS
i
6,480 i2 280
__'_ • •
75,590
0.6 UTS 5,~920
I Eng.,All4 1989) 189-196.
5,400 1.0~0
....
i i
16.660
0.7 u v s [-----].2,8s0
Fig. 12. Effects of thermal exposure on the initiation and pro-
pagation of damage during LCF/HCF loading of as-receivedand
annealed material.
57
under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions de-
creases with increasing annealing duration at 815 °C.
(4) Acoustic events during monotonic and cyclic
loading are attributed largely to the decohesion that
occurs at the fiber/matrix interface, and subsequent
pull-out prior to matrix/fiber fracture. Also, the inci-
dence of fiber pull-out increases with increasing
annealing duration, test temperature and stress level.
(5) Matrix fracture at room temperature and 650 °C
occurs by ductile dimpled fracture under monotonic
and cyclic loading conditions. However, the low levels
of composite ductility indicate that composite fracture
is controlled largely by the cleavage fracture of the
fiber bundle and the complex intermetallics that exist at
the fiber/matrix interface.
(6) The degradation in composite strength and
fatigue resistance that occurs after prolonged annealing
is attributed to the interdiffusion of constituent ele-
ments and the formation of blocky particles at the
fiber/matrix interface. The loss of carbon and silicon
from the SCS 9 (carbon-coated SiC) fiber may also
contribute to the degradation of composite strength
and fatigue resistance.
Acknowledgments
The author would like to thank Dr. J. E. Deffeyes
and Messrs. J. W. Parks, J. D. Keyes, J. J. Evans, II,
D. A. Deuser, J. E Sharp, A. Krebbs and B. Kron-
mueller for assistance with experimental techniques.
This research was initiated under the McDonnell
Douglas Corporation Independent Research and
Development program. It was completed with the
support of the Ohio State University Research Office
and the Division of Mechanics and Materials of the
National Science Foundation (Grant No. MSS
9309520).
Nf=Hi +Np
48,280 References
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