Hot deformation characteristics of a 15 vol% SiCp/2009 Al composite fabricated by powder metallurgy were studied by compressive tests conducted at strain rates of 0.001 to 10 s(-1) and temperatures of 350 to 500 degrees C. A processing map on basis of a Dynamic Material Model was generated. Different deformation mechanisms such as dynamic recrystallisation (DRX) and superplasticity interpreted by processing map were validated by microstructure observation. Adiabatic shear band formation was observed at higher strain rates, thereby defining the flow instability domain. (c) 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.