Achieving strength-ductility synergy in nano-particle/Al composites by activating stacking faults to alleviate interfacial stress concentration

In aluminum matrix composites, stress concentration caused by dislocation pile-up between reinforcement and matrix during deformation is the primary reason for failure and fracture. Here, we utilized the high interfacial shear stress induced by dense uniformly distributed nanoparticles to activate nano-scale stacking faults (SFs) during deformation. The generation of SFs effectively alleviated stress concentration between the reinforcement and the matrix in the early stages of plastic deformation, while further enhancing the strain hardening capacity of the composites through interactions in subsequent deformation processes. This study proposed a new strategy of regulating deformation by using SFs in aluminum matrix composite.