This review critically examines the current state of graphene reinforced metal (GNP-MMC) and ceramic matrix composites (GNP-CMC) The use of graphene as reinforcement for structural materials is motivated by their exceptional mechanical/functional properties and their unique physical/chemical characteristics This review focuses on MMCs and CMCs because of their technological importance for structural applications and the unique challenges associated with developing high-temperature composites with nanoparticle reinforcements The review discusses processing techniques, effects of graphene on the mechanical behaviour of GNP-MMCs and GNP-CMCs, including early studies on the tribological performance of graphene-reinforced composites, where graphene has shown signs of serving as a protective and lubricious phase Additionally, the unique functional properties endowed by graphene to GNP-MMCs and GNP-CMCs, such as enhanced thermal/electrical conductivity, improved oxidation resistance, and excellent bi

Graphene reinforced metal and ceramic matrix composites: a review

Metals can be strengthened by adding hard reinforcements, but such strategy usually compromises ductility and toughness. Natural nacre consists of hard and soft phases organized in a regular “brick-and-mortar” structure and exhibits a superior combination of mechanical strength and toughness, which is an attractive model for strengthening and toughening artificial composites, but such bioinspired metal matrix composite has yet to be made. Here we prepared nacre-like reduced graphene oxide (RGrO) reinforced Cu matrix composite based on a preform impregnation process, by which two-dimensional RGrO was used as “brick” and inserted into “□-and-mortar” ordered porous Cu preform (the symbol “□” means the absence of “brick”), followed by compacting. This process realized uniform dispersion and alignment of RGrO in Cu matrix simultaneously. The RGrO-and-Cu artificial nacres exhibited simultaneous enhancement on yield strength and ductility as well as increased modulus, attributed to RGrO strengthening, effective ...

Graphene-and-Copper Artificial Nacre Fabricated by a Preform Impregnation Process: Bioinspired Strategy for Strengthening-Toughening of Metal Matrix Composite.

The research works of graphene-reinforced metal matrix composites will be summarised in this paper. Comparatively, much less research works have been undertaken in this field. Graphene has been thought to be an ideal reinforcement material for composites due to its unique two-dimensional structure and outstanding physical and mechanical properties. It is expected to yield structural materials with high specific strength or functional materials with exciting thermal and electrical characteristics. This paper will introduce all kinds of graphene-reinforced metal matrix composites that have been studied. The microstructure and mechanical properties, processing techniques, graphene dispersion, strengthening mechanisms, interfacial reactions between graphene and the metal matrix and future research works in this field will be discussed.

Graphene-reinforced metal matrix nanocomposites – a review

Preparation and tensile properties of homogeneously dispersed graphene reinforced aluminum matrix composites

Aligning graphene in bulk copper: Nacre-inspired nanolaminated architecture coupled with in-situ processing for enhanced mechanical properties and high electrical conductivity

In order to develop high strength metal–matrix composites with acceptable ductility, bulk nanostructured aluminum–matrix composites reinforced with graphene nanoflakes were fabricated by cryomilling and hot extrusion processes. Microstructure and mechanical properties were characterized and determined using transmission electron microscopy, electron dispersion spectroscopy, as well as static tensile tests. The results show that, with an addition of only 0.5 wt% graphene nanoflakes, the bulk nanostructured aluminum/graphene composite exhibited increased strength and unsubdued ductility over pure aluminum. Besides, the mechanical properties of the composites with higher content of graphene nanoflakes were also measured and investigated. Above 1.0 wt% of graphene nanoflakes, however, this strengthening effect sharply dropped due to the clustering of graphene nanoflakes. Furthermore, the optimal addition of graphene nanoflakes into the nanocrystalline aluminum matrix was calculated and discussed.

S.Q. Wang

Papers

Microstructure and tensile properties of bulk nanostructured aluminum/graphene composites prepared via cryomilling