Carbon-fibre/titanium-matrix composites: some features of mechanical behaviour

Carbon-titanium composites with a fundamentally new hierarchical structure, being part of the family of metal matrix composites, differ in some aspects of their mechanical behavior from composites with a traditional microstructure. In particular, the reinforcing layer in this type of composites can be brittle, which necessitates, firstly, eliminating defects in its structure whenever possible, and secondly, utilizing the scale effect of strength in the design of the composite structure. This article analyzes the mechanical behavior of composites with copper-coated fiber characterized by brittleness of the reinforcing layer. The analysis is supplemented by the first results of creep tests on the composites.