Effect of Ductile and Brittle Phases on Deformation and Fracture Behaviour of Molybdenum and Niobium Silicide Based Composites

A comparative study on the microstructure-mechanical property relationships in the molybdenum and niobium silicide based composites has been carried out with emphasis on the role of the ductile and brittle phase constituents at ambient and elevated temperatures. The MoSi2, MoSi2-20 vol.% SiC and -Mo-Mo3Si-Mo5SiB2 composites have been prepared by powder metallurgy processing. Furthermore, the niobium silicide based composites, having a eutectic of Nb solid solution (Nbss) and (Nb,Mo)5Si3, and either Nbss or (Nb,Mo)5Si3 as the primary phase in the hypoeutectic or hypereutectic compositions, respectively, have been processed by arc melting. The increase in fracture toughness with respect to that of MoSi2 is modest in the MoSi2-SiC composites, and more significant in the multiphase Mo-Mo3Si-Mo5SiB2 and Nbss-(Nb,Mo)5Si3 based in-situ composites with ductile reinforcements. The ductile phase, either Mo or Nbss aids in toughening chiefly through crack arrest and bridging, and undergoes plastic yielding under constraint during deformation, leading to a higher energy of fracture. In the MoSi2 and MoSi2-SiC composites, the matrix grain size has a significant role in high temperature strength retention and strain hardening behaviour. In the ductile phase reinforced composites, the hard silicide-based intermetallic phases contribute to elevated temperature strength, while the constrained plastic deformation of the -Mo or Nbss is responsible for much higher rate of strain hardening than in the MoSi2 and MoSi2-SiC composites.