Microstructure and tensile properties of Ni nano particles modified MXene reinforced copper matrix composites

Abstract

The wettability of reinforcement particles with metal matrix plays a vital role in particles dispersion in matrix and their interfacial bond. In this study, the Ni-MXene hybrids were firstly fabricated by molecular-level mixing and chemical reduction. Then the Ni-MXene-Cu composite powders were prepared by high energy ball milling, and the Ni-MXene/Cu composites were further prepared by hot pressing the composite powders. The wettability of MXene and Ni-MXene with Cu matrix was studied by the Cu diffusion phenomena at the interface. The study results indicate that the initial MXene has a poor wettability with Cu matrix because of the surface functional groups, while the Ni-MXene can wet well with the matrix by interdiffusion of Cu and Ni elements at the interface. The good wettability promotes Cu matrix diffuse to the inside of the agglomerated MXene particles, and thus to effectively improve the tensile properties of the composites. Both the UTS and the elongation of the Ni-MXene/Cu composites are obvious higher than those of MXene/Cu composites, especially in the composites with lower milling time. The maximum UTS and elongation of the 3(Ni-MXene)/Cu-12 h can reach to 325 MPa and 16.1%, respectively. The tensile properties and the failure mechanism were further analyzed and discussed by comparing the fracture surface morphologies.