Deformation behavior of interpenetrating-phase composites

A simple, unit-cell model has been proposed to predict the deformation behavior of composites having two interpenetrating phases, continuous in three dimensions. By dividing the unit cell into several elements and using the isostress and isostrain bimaterial loading configurations, the composite deformation behavior has been constructed in terms of the behavior of its components. The formulation allows calculation of the deformation behavior of an interpenetrating-phase composite by a simplified numerical iteration. The estimates from this simplified model have been compared with experimental data on the stress/strain behavior of equi-volume CdZn and CuAg alloys and infiltrated FeAg composites. A limited assessment of the present approach, in the light of the other methods of calculation such as finite-element and self-consistent methods, has been made.