Preparation of 2.5D Woven Fabric Cf/Al Composite and Its Tensile Deformation Behavior in Warp/Weft Direction

2.5D woven fabric C-f/Al composites with graphite fiber as reinforcement and ZL301 as matrix alloy were fabricated by the vacuum assisted pressure infiltration method. The density and microstructure of the composites, which were prepared at three fabric temperature levels, were investigated. The crystal structure and composition of the interfacial product was revealed. The mechanical behavior of the composite along the warp and weft direction was investigated by the quasi-static tensile test and the fracture was also observed. The results indicate that the fabric structure can be maintained well, in which the fibers distribute uniformly. With the increase of fabric temperature, the density of the composites is improved slightly while the relative amount of interfacial product, which is identified to be Al4C3 phase with rod shape, increases obviously. This leads to the reduction of mechanical properties both in warp and weft direction. The tensile strength in warp direction has been proven to be higher than that in weft direction. The stress-strain behavior in warp direction exhibits significant nonlinear characteristic. The tensile deformation process both in warp and weft direction can be divided into three stages, i.e. the initial elastic deformation stage, the middle elastoplastic deformation stage and the final fracture stage.