Tensile strength of Al matrix with nanoscale Cu, Ti and Mg inclusions

Molecular-dynamic investigations of Al+Cu, Al+Ti and Al+Mg nanocomposite strength under high-rate uniaxial tension were carried out in this work. We consider two different mechanisms of reduction of the tensile strength of a material with inclusions in comparison with a pure material of matrix. The first mechanism is connected with a stress concentration in matrix near a stiff and strong inclusion (Ti, Cu); in this case, the fracture occurs inside the matrix and does not touch the inclusion. The second mechanism acts in the case of a soft and weak inclusion (Mg); the fracture begins inside the inclusion and thereafter propagates into the matrix. The tensile strength of the systems is determined at varied strain rates (in the range from 0.1/ns to 30/ns at the temperature 300 K) and varied temperatures (in the range from 300 K to 900 K at the strain rate 1/ns).