Abstract
Microporous carbon nanospheres (PCNS)-reinforced magnesium (Mg) composites were prepared using polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as surfactant and PCNS as reinforcement. The influence of PVP treatment and the effectiveness of PCNS on the mechanical properties of Mg-based composites were investigated. The results show that the PCNS can enhance the properties of the Mg matrix. Moreover, the PVP can effectively improve the dispersion of PCNS in the Mg matrix but had a negative influence on the tensile properties of composites. The MgO films with high tensile strength were produced between matrix and reinforcement after removing PVP, which effectively promotes the interface compatibility and improves the properties of the composite. The tensile yield strength and specific strength of PCNS-reinforced Mg matrix composite exhibited 177 MPa and 102.4 × 103 N∙m/kg, respectively, which were 77% and 78% higher than those of the Mg matrix.
Highlights
As one of the lightest structural metals, magnesium (Mg) has many advantages of high specific strength, good damping, machinability and recyclability
The above results prove that the functionalization of carbon reinforcement by polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) could effectively improve the dispersibility of the reinforcing phases, which were absorbed on the surface of the Mg particles
The PCNS can effectively enhance the properties of the Mg-base, and the PCNS-reinforced Mg composites were successfully prepared by PVP pretreatment, the PVP removal process, spark plasma sintered and hot-pressed method
Summary
As one of the lightest structural metals, magnesium (Mg) has many advantages of high specific strength, good damping, machinability and recyclability. PCNS have poor dispersibility and compatibility in metal matrixes because of their high surface energy and specific surface area, limiting the proportion of nanocarbon reinforcement added in the Mg matrix directly and impeding the improvement of composite properties. Research has found that surfactant PVP can be dissolved in ethanol and improve the dispersibility of nanocarbon materials effectively [12,13,14] while make Mg isolate from air oxidizing. Our previous research showed that PCNS was surface-functionalized by dissolving PVP in ethanol, and the uniform PCNS with pristine structure could be obtained [15], suggesting that the PVP contributes to the preparation of nanocarbon-reinforced Mg composites with homogeneous nanocarbon dispersibility
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