Abstract
By using pure titanium powder coated with unbundled multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) via wet process, powder metallurgy (P/M) titanium matrix composite (TMC) reinforced with the CNTs was prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and subsequently hot extrusion process. The microstructure and mechanical properties of P/M pure titanium and reinforced with CNTs were evaluated. The distribution of CNTs and in situ formed titanium carbide (TiC) compounds during sintering was investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) equipped with EDS analyzer. The mechanical properties of TMC were significantly improved by the additive of CNTs. For example, when employing the pure titanium composite powder coated with CNTs of 0.35 mass%, the increase of tensile strength and yield stress of the extruded TMC was 157 MPa and 169 MPa, respectively, compared to those of extruded titanium materials with no CNT additive. Fractured surfaces of tensile specimens were analyzed by SEM, and the uniform distribution of CNTs and TiC particles, being effective for the dispersion strengthening, at the surface of the TMC were obviously observed.
Highlights
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), found in 1976s by Oberlin et al [1], have a potential to be used as attractive reinforcements of the composite materials because they have a low density of 1.3 g/cm3 and 973 GPa Young’s modulus [1,2,3]
On the other hand, when adding CNTs into metals as reinforcements, powder metallurgy (P/M) process is more suitable than ingot metallurgy (I/M) because the separation of CNTs from the molten metals occurs due to their buoyancy caused by the low density
Chemical analysis on P/M extruded Ti material and reinforced with unbundled CNTs indicates that the carbon content is
Summary
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), found in 1976s by Oberlin et al [1], have a potential to be used as attractive reinforcements of the composite materials because they have a low density of 1.3 g/cm and 973 GPa Young’s modulus [1,2,3]. Titanium (Ti) and titanium alloy are interested as the matrix material because they are widely used in various industrial applications, for example, automotive, motorcycles, and airplane industries due to their high specific strength and Young’s modulus. Their chemical and petrochemical applications are excellent because of their high corrosion resistance [15]. The microstructures and mechanical properties of P/M titanium matrix composite (TMC) reinforced with unbundled CNTs by using the above wet process. The strengthening mechanism of the composites with CNTs is discussed by their microstructures analysis and identification of the dispersoids
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