One-dimensional carbon nanotubes and two-dimensional graphene nanosheets with unique electrical, mechanical and thermal properties are attractive reinforcements for fabricating light weight, high strength and high performance metal-matrix composites. Rapid advances of nanotechnology in recent years enable the development of advanced metal matrix nanocomposites for structural engineering and functional device applications. This review focuses on the recent development in the synthesis, property characterization and application of aluminum, magnesium, and transition metal-based composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes and graphene nanosheets. These include processing strategies of carbonaceous nanomaterials and their composites, mechanical and tribological responses, corrosion, electrical and thermal properties as well as hydrogen storage and electrocatalytic behaviors. The effects of nanomaterial dispersion in the metal matrix and the formation of interfacial precipitates on these properties are also addressed. Particular attention is paid to the fundamentals and the structure–property relationships of such novel nanocomposites.

Recent progress in the development and properties of novel metal matrix nanocomposites reinforced with carbon nanotubes and graphene nanosheets

Carbon nanotubes reinforced pure Al (CNT/Al) composites were produced by ball-milling and powder metallurgy. Microstructure and its evolution of the mixture powders and the fabricated composites were examined and the mechanical properties of the composites were tested. It was indicated that the CNTs were gradually dispersed into the Al matrix as ball-milling time increased and achieved a uniform dispersion after 6 h ball-milling. Further increasing the ball-milling time to 8-12 h resulted in serious damage to the CNTs. The tensile tests showed that as the ball-milling time increased, the tensile and yield strengths of the composites increased, while the elongation increased first and then decreased. The strengthening of CNTs increased significantly as the ball-milling time increased to 6 h, and then decreased when further increasing the ball-milling time. The yield strength of the composite with 6 h ball-milling increased by 42.3% compared with the matrix. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of ball-milling time on mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes reinforced aluminum matrix composites

Synergistic strengthening by load transfer mechanism and grain refinement of CNT/Al-Cu composites

https://eprints.lib.hokudai.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2115/38627/1/69-7-8_p1077-1081.pdf

Characteristics of powder metallurgy pure titanium matrix composite reinforced with multi-wall carbon nanotubes

Simultaneously enhancing strength and ductility of carbon nanotube/aluminum composites by improving bonding conditions

Carbon nanotube reinforced copper matrix (CNT/Cu) nanocomposites were fabricated by the modified molecular-level mixing process, which produces a homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in a fine grained metal matrix. These nanocomposites, consisting of 1.5μm Cu matrix grains and 5vol% of multiwall CNTs, show a high strengthening capability; enhancing the yield strength of unreinforced Cu by 2.3 times. The enhanced yield strength stems from the reinforcing effect of CNTs and additional hardening of the Cu matrix by grain refinement. The results reveal that the metallurgical treatment of the matrix is important for the development of high-strength CNT/metal nanocomposites.

S. H. Hong

Papers

Grain refinement assisted strengthening of carbon nanotube reinforced copper matrix nanocomposites