During decades, great efforts have been devoted to understand and predict the creep behavior of discontinuously\udreinforced metal matrix composites, particularly aluminum alloy matrix materials. As a result\udof all these investigations, however, a confuse panorama of the precise role of the reinforcing particles on\udthe enhanced creep response of these materials rules the present understanding. Here, an analysis of the\udreasons that have driven to this situation is made. Also, a simple and generalized framework of the relevant\udmechanisms required to understand this behavior is proposed. This view is based on previous work\udby these authors on 6061Al alloy, prepared by ingot and powder metallurgy, and 6061Al–15 vol.% SiCw\udcomposite, as well as a data analysis of published investigations aimed at clarifying the above situation.\udThe additivity of the proposed contributions and the potential damage mechanism are discussed in the\udcontext of the processing route employed.
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