Tensile behavior of SiCf/Ti60 composites at RT and 600 °C

• The prepared SiC f /Ti60 composite exhibits excellent tensile properties, with tensile strengths exceeding 1300 MPa at both room temperature and 600 °C. • The RT fracture process of SiC f /Ti60 composites is as follows: RL fracture → RL cracks penetrating the matrix → matrix cracks causing fiber instability fracture → final capsule fracture. • The 600 °C fracture process of SiC f /Ti60 composites is as follows: RL fracture → matrix plasticity increases, fibers fracture first → RL cracks penetrate the matrix → final capsule fracture. • Residual tensile stress is the primary cause of initial failure at the interface between amorphous carbon/TiC. In this study, continuous SiC fibers reinforced Ti60 (SiC f /Ti60) composites were prepared by the method of coating fibers with matrix and hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The SiC f /Ti60 composites showed excellent tensile properties at room temperature (RT) and 600 °C, with a tensile strength of over 1300 MPa. The fracture process of the composites at different temperatures was studied using XRD, SEM, EBSD, and TEM techniques. The results showed that the RT fracture process of the SiC f /Ti60 composites was: reaction layer (RL) fracture → RL cracks penetrating into the matrix → matrix cracks causing fiber instability fracture → final capsule fracture. The high-temperature fracture process of the SiC f /Ti60 composites was: RL fracture → matrix plasticity increases, fibers fracture first → RL cracks penetrate into the matrix → final capsule fracture. The failure of the RL at RT and 600 °C primarily occurred at the interface of amorphous carbon/TiC, which is related to the residual stress at the interface. The nucleation and propagation of the matrix cracks are related to the distance from the failure position of the RL and the basal and prismatic Schmid factors