{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,15]],"date-time":"2026-04-15T00:21:01Z","timestamp":1776212461602,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"19","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,27]],"date-time":"2025-09-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1758931200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Science Center, Poland","award":["1576\/B\/T02\/2011\/40"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["1576\/B\/T02\/2011\/40"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Materials"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The AA2124 aluminium alloy-based metal matrix composites (MMCs) reinforced with the silicon carbide (SiC) were examined under tensile creep at 300 \u00b0C. The tests were carried out for the materials of different SiC particle size (3 \u00b5m and 0.6 \u00b5m) and amount (17 vol.% and 25 vol.%). Creep curves under different constant stresses are presented. A high stress sensitivity of the composites tested was identified for a very narrow range of stress values. As a result, a threshold stress range separating the slow and fast creep stages was easily identified at around 5 Mpa for the composite with a larger SiC particle size and lower content and around 1 Mpa for the two other composites. It means that a very small change in stress applied to the structural element at elevated temperatures may lead to its very rapid collapse or even the destruction of the whole structure. The experimental programme was supplemented by the microstructural observations carried out using the scanning electron microscopy providing data necessary for better understanding the damage mechanisms of the material subjected to creep. An influence of voids on the mechanical response and fracture zones was identified. Attention was paid to the nature of degradation of the composites.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ma18194495","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,29]],"date-time":"2025-09-29T12:59:46Z","timestamp":1759150786000},"page":"4495","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Mechanical and Microstructural Investigations of AA2124\/SiC Metal Matrix Composites After Creep"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0029-071X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Agnieszka","family":"Rutecka","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Civil Engineering, Warsaw University of Technology, Al. Armii Ludowej 16, 00-637 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Katarzyna","family":"Makowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Mechatronics, Armament and Aerospace, Military University of Technology, gen. Sylwestra Kaliskiego 2, 00-908 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Zbigniew","family":"Kowalewski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Fundamental Technological Research (IPPT PAN), Pawi\u0144skiego 5B, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"1","article-title":"A new study for aeroplane wing shapes made of boron nitride nanotubes-reinforced aluminium, Part I: Review, dynamical analyses and simulation","volume":"303","year":"2023","journal-title":"Compos. 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