Abstract Carbon nanotube reinforced alumina matrix nanocomposite was fabricated by sol–gel process and followed by spark plasma sintering process. Homogeneous distribution of carbon nanotubes within alumina matrix can be obtained by mixing the carbon nanotubes with alumina sol and followed by condensation into gel. The mixed gel, consisting of alumina and carbon nanotubes, was dried and calcinated into carbon nanotube/alumina composite powders. The composite powders were spark plasma sintered into carbon nanotube reinforced alumina matrix nanocomposite. The hardness of carbon nanotube reinforced alumina matrix nanocomposite was enhanced due to an enhanced load sharing of homogeneously distributed carbon nanotubes. At the same time, the fracture toughness of carbon nanotube reinforced alumina matrix nanocomposite was enhanced due to a bridging effect of carbon nanotubes during crack propagation.

Fabrication of Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Alumina Matrix Nanocomposite by Sol-gel Process

Mechanical Properties of Ceramics Reinforced with Allotropic Forms of Carbon

Technical review: Improvement of mechanical properties and suitability towards armor applications – Alumina composites

Multi-scale finite element analysis has been performed for determination of longitudinal and transverse Young’s moduli of carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced alumina matrix nanocomposites considering ...

Analysis of carbon nanotube-reinforced alumina matrix nanocomposites with a broken fiber

Reinforced ceramic matrix composites of alumina and graphene oxide have been widely researched, but there are still unresolved issues such as the optimum distribution of the graphene or the presence of efficient bonds between filler and matrix. This work introduces a novel fabrication procedure based on the sol–gel method, using boehmite as an alumina precursor, and graphene oxide nanoplatelets as the reinforcing phase. Full densification of the samples was done through reactive spark plasma sintering under milder conditions than usual. Structural characterization was done by XRD, SEM and micro-Raman among other techniques, and the presence of Al-O-C bonds was studied by XPS. Mechanical characterization was performed by Vickers microindentation and nanoindentation. No significant change was observed concerning the Young’s modulus, hardness or fracture toughness, though improvements in the homogeneity of the distribution of the graphene and the chemical bonds between the matrix and the reinforcing phase were confirmed. 

Sol–gel method and reactive SPS for novel alumina-graphene ceramic composites

Carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced alumina matrix nanocomposite was successfully synthesized by two different techniques. In the first process sol-gel method was used to generate 3 wt% homogeneously distributed CNT in alumina matrix after sintering. In another novel method chemical mixing process was adopted for synthesis of CNT-alumina nanocomposite powder to generate maximum of 10 wt% CNTs in the alumina matrix after sintering. Phase identification was done by XRD and the particle size was measured by Scherrer and Williamson-Hall plot. Compared to pure alumina the hardness of the nanocomposite was improved by 3–18% for different wt% of CNTs. The hardness of the nanocomposite enhanced due to an enhanced load carrying capacity of homogeneously distributed CNTs.

A. Pal

Papers

Synthesis and Characterization of CNT Reinforced Alumina based Nanocomposite