Nano Reinforcement Research Articles

Effect of nanoparticles reinforcement of silicon dioxide derived from prosopis juliflora on Silver-Grey magnesium nanocomposite: utilization of silicon dioxide mechanical and tribological properties

Abstract The automotive and aviation industries require lightweight materials to enhance working efficiency. Composites combine materials such as aluminium, magnesium, titanium, steel, and copper with various forms of reinforcements to offer lightweight alternatives for a range of applications. The present investigation aims to fabricate a Silver-Grey Magnesium (Mg-25%Si) alloy-based nanocomposite with silicon dioxide (SiO2) nano reinforcement at weight % of 0, 3.25, 6.5 and 9.75 utilizing the two step stir casting method. Prosopis juliflora is utilized in the production of different weight percentages of SiO2 nano reinforcements. The microhardness, tensile, wear, and impact tests are performed on the Silver-Grey Magnesium nanocomposites (Mg-25%Si/SiO2) utilizing a computerized tensometer testing machine, a Vicker’s hardness tester, a pin-on-disc tribometer, and an Izod impact, respectively. The x-ray diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM), and Energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) with elemental mapping microstructure were employed to scrutinize the tensile specimen fracture, EDAX, elemental mapping microstructure, wear, CoF, and worn surface characterization and impact strength analysis. When compared to the Silver-Grey Magnesium (Mg-25%Si) base alloy, the results of the Mg-25%Si/SiO2 nanocomposites demonstrated an increase in SiO2 nano reinforcements that significantly increased microhardness, tensile strength, wear resistance, and impact strength. The corresponding values are 113.36 VHN, yield and ultimate tensile strength of 603.25 MPa and 665.84 MPa, 0.00478 mm3 m−1, CoF of 0.38421 and 400 J m−1.

Free vibration analysis of an O-pattern graphene reinforced axial functionally graded polymer matrix nano-composite non-uniform beam

Recently, the demand for nanocomposites in the form of functionally graded materials (FGM) has increased because of their improved weight-to-stiffness ratios, less delamination effects, and ability to have desired qualities at the right location. Additionally, compared to typical composites, static qualities like strength and elasticity are superior. In this research work, a model for an axially graphene-reinforced functionally graded polymer matrix nanocomposite non-uniform beam is prepared, to obtain the dynamic behavior of the beam in form of its Natural Frequencies. Along the length of the beam, the graphene Nano reinforcement is dispersed in an epoxy polymer matrix as “O” pattern using a function. Material modulus at each location of the beam is modelled using Halpin-Tsai micromechanics theory, the mass density and Poisson’s Ratio of the beam are determined using rule of mixture. The geometry non-uniformity of the beam is modelled using an exponential function. Using MATLAB software code, simulation and parametric analysis of the beam are performed for various slenderness ratios and varied boundary conditions. The non-uniform beam result is obtained after the result for a uniform beam is used to validate it. In result it is analyzed that for the particular geometric and reinforcement configuration of the beam, as the non-uniformity in the beam geometry is increases, the fundamental frequency decreases, and the slenderness ratio has also the same effect on its fundamental frequency.

A comparison of physical, morphological, and mechanical properties of bio‐polyester hybrid nanocomposites

AbstractIt is imperative to improve the physical, morphological, and mechanical properties of biodegradable polymers like polylactic acid (PLA), poly (butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT), and polycaprolactone (PCL) in order to employ them on a larger scale. The development of hybrid nanocomposite materials using nano inclusions can improve desired qualities. Here we introduced an interactive nano reinforcement approach to improve the properties by combining graphene oxide (GO) and carboxyl functionalized MWCNT (f‐MWCNT), to provide for their chemical bonding for synergic reinforcement. A constant filler 2 wt.% was added to the biopolyesters by melt blending process and examined the different physical properties like water absorption, intrinsic viscosity, and hardness. To completely evaluate the functionalization of the nanofillers, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD), Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared radiation (FTIR) analyses were used. The paired nanoparticles and polymer matrix appear to mix well together, as shown by electron microscopy, which also reveals good dispersion and the creation of a reinforcing network microstructure across the matrix layer. A thorough analysis of the results showed that effective stress transmission, delaying the start of faults and generating microcracks, and dissipating additional mechanical energy all contributed to efficient hybrid network formation, which improved the mechanical properties of hybrid filler nanocomposites except some nanocomposites. These findings offer a viable technique for chemically altering biodegradable polymers, like PLA, PBAT, and PCL for use in biomedical, wastewater management, and agricultural applications.

Nanocomposites based on MWCNT and nanoclay: Effect of acrylated epoxidized soybean oil on curing and composite properties

UV and thermal-curing hybrid epoxy adhesives are generally developed with a combination of epoxy acrylates and thermal-curing epoxy resin. This study modified bisphenol-A type epoxy resin (ER) with acrylated epoxidized industrial crop soybean oil (AESO) to obtain a dual-curable epoxy system. Hydroxylated multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNTOH) and montmorillonite-type nanoclay (NC) first was used as nano reinforcement in this system. Both thermal and UV-curing were applied to composites. Tensile and hardness tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and four-point probe electrical conductivity measurements were used for the nanocomposite characterization. Although (UV+thermal) curing increased the thermal strength of the nanocomposites, it caused a decrease in their electrical conductivity and moisture absorption. The highest tensile strength values were obtained as 107 MPa and 97 MPa for thermally cured 1.5 wt% MWCNTOH and 2 wt% NC composites, respectively. The effect of the AESO ratio on UV curing of nanocomposites was investigated and 10 % was found to be the most suitable. MWCNTOH composites also exhibited the highest electrical conductivity with a percolation threshold of 1.5 wt%. The effect of hydrothermal aging on thermal and electrical conductivity properties showed that only T5 and T10 values of thermally or (UV+thermally) cured MWCNTOH and NC composites decreased, T50 values did not change significantly.

Effect of Nano Reinforcements on the Hardness and Corrosion Resistance of Hybrid Composites

Effect of Nano Reinforcements on the Hardness and Corrosion Resistance of Hybrid Composites

Preparation and characterization of oxygen‐functionalized graphene‐doped polyvinylidene fluoride ultrafiltration membranes

AbstractTo separate the oil/water mixtures, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanofiber mats were produced using electrospinning. Additionally, PVDF films were made using the solvent evaporation method, and the effectiveness of their separation was evaluated against that of nanofiber mats. By choosing oxygen‐functionalized graphene (with HNO3) as a nano reinforcement, the hydrophobic properties of the PVDF materials made using both techniques were transformed into hydrophilic ones. It has been determined how the characteristics of the solution (viscosity, conductivity, molecular weight, surface tension, and contact angle) relate to the diameter of the nanofiber. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy‐attenuated total reflection (FT‐IR/ATR), x‐rays diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope, thermogravimetric analyses (TGA)/DTG, and differential scanning calorimetric (DSC) have been used to study the chemical and crystal structures, morphology, and thermal behavior of PVDF materials. The addition of oxygen‐functionalized graphene was found to cause a peak in the PVDF composites' FT‐IR/ATR spectrum, roughly in the wavenumber 1400 cm−1, which was identified as the C‐OH bending vibration. Together with the shift in peak strengths, the lack of a discernible shift in the PVDF peak location in the XRD patterns indicates that the addition of oxygen‐functionalized graphene has caused a phase transition in the PVDF in the semi‐crystal structure. Surface hydrophobicity has also been measured using contact angle measurements. The addition of oxygen‐functionalized graphene has been seen to decrease the PVDF's contact angle, resulting in the development of a hydrophilic characteristic. These PVDF‐based materials' oil/water separation capabilities have also been evaluated. PVDF composite films were not as effective as PVDF nanofiber mats with oxygen‐functionalized graphene in the studies to separate the oil/water mixtures. The permeate flux value was determined to be 240 Lm−2 h−1, and the oil/water separation efficiency of nanofibers containing 10% (m/m) PVDF534000 combined with oxygen‐functional graphene was found to be 99%.

Crystallization and performance evolution of PHBV nanocomposites through annealing: The role of surface modification of CNCs

To address the brittleness challenge of polyhydroxybutyrate-co-valerate (PHBV) rooting from its slow nucleation rate, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were employed as bio-based nano nucleation and reinforcement agents. CNCs were further functionalized through succinylation using aliphatic dodecyl succinic anhydride (DDSA), for improved compatibility and dispersion within PHBV. Nanocomposites of PHBV incorporating pristine or DDSA-modified CNC (mCNC) were prepared through solution mixing followed by melt injection molding. The study focused on investigating how CNCs and mCNCs affect the crystallization behavior, thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties of PHBV nanocomposites over time, in the course of annealing or conditioning. Thermal results revealed that the incorporation of neat CNCs generally improving stability due to restricted polymer chain mobility and hydrogen bonding, while DDSA-modified CNCs show varied effects depending on the concentration, sometimes diminishing stability due to increased chain mobility. Polarized optical microscopy revealed the superior nucleation efficiency of mCNC, especially at low contents, leading to smaller and numerous spherulites over conditioning. Rheological analysis indicated a dilution effect of the hairy mCNCs, decreasing both dynamic modulus and complex viscosity. Mechanical properties, assessed through tensile testing and dynamic mechanical analysis after 15 days of conditioning, demonstrated the evolving effect of CNCs on aging-induced embrittlement and thermo-mechanical performance of PHBV during storage. The results revealed that incorporating 1 wt% mCNCs effectively toughened PHBV, increasing Young's modulus, and decreasing Tg without scarifying elongation at break compared to neat PHBV. The findings position mCNCs as a promising nucleation agent which retains PHBV nanocomposites toughness after aging.

Microstructural and mechanical properties evaluation of Calcium and zinc-modified WE43-based nanocomposites through stir casting for biodegradable applications

Magnesium-based alloys and composites have potential as biodegradable materials due to their moderate biodegradability, biocompatibility, and usefulness, but their mechanical strength limits their clinical use. The study synthesised a WE43-based alloy with calcium (Ca) and zinc (Zn), then reinforced it with nano reinforcements (hydroxyapatite, beta-tricalcium phosphate, graphene, and bioglass) through stir casting to create four nanocomposites. The microstructural and mechanical properties were examined to assess Ca and Zn's influence and determine the most effective reinforcement. The result showed that Ca and Zn-modified alloys and all nanocomposite materials have two additional phases, LPSO and Ca2Mg6Zn3, compared to the monolithic WE43 alloy. With the addition of Ca and Zn, S-2 saw significant increases in ultimate tensile strength (UTS), tensile yield strength (TYS), and uniform elongation (U.El), reaching ∼246 MPa, ∼144 MPa, and ∼8 %, respectively, while maintaining an elastic modulus of ∼19 GPa. This resulted in improvements of ∼29 %, ∼25 %, and ∼9 % compared to the as-cast WE43. Graphene-reinforced S-4 demonstrated superior mechanical properties with a UTS of 294 MPa, TYS of 194 MPa, U.El of ∼8 %, and an elastic modulus of 24 GPa, representing increases of ∼52 %, ∼69 %, and 6.05 %, respectively, compared to as-cast WE43. Additionally, S-4 exhibited impressive compressive properties, with an ultimate compressive strength (UCS) of 370 MPa, a compressive yield strength (CYS) of ∼185 MPa, and an U.El of ∼26 %. The bioglass-reinforced nanocomposites had a maximum hardness of 74.8 HV, whereas the as-cast WE43 had a maximum toughness of ∼4 J. These enhancements in mechanical properties are attributed to strengthening processes, including thermal mismatch, orowan, and grain refinement mechanisms. Graphene reinforcement shows promise for biodegradable applications.

A Hierarchical Hydrogel Impregnation Strategy Enables Brittle-Failure-Free 3D-Printed Bioceramic Scaffolds.

3D-printed bioceramic scaffolds offer great potential for bone tissue engineering (BTE) but their inherent brittleness and reduced mechanical properties at high porosities can easily result in catastrophic fractures. Herein, this study presents a hierarchical hydrogel impregnation strategy, incorporating poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel into the macro- and micropores of bioceramic scaffolds and synergistically reinforcing it via freeze-casting assisted solution substitution (FASS) in a tannic acid (TA)-glycerol solution. By effectively mitigating catastrophic brittle failures, the hydrogel-impregnated scaffolds showcase three- and 100-fold enhancement in mechanical energy absorption under compression (5.05MJm-3) and three-point bending (3.82MJm-3), respectively. The reinforcement mechanisms are further investigated by experimental and simulation analyses, revealing a multi-scale synergy of fracture and fragmentation resistance through macro and micro-scale fiber bridging, and nano and molecular-scale hydrogel reinforcement. Also, the scaffolds acquire additional antibacterial and drug-loading capabilities from the hydrogel phase while maintaining favorable cell biocompatibility. Therefore, this study demonstrates a facile yet effective approach for preparing brittle-failure-free bioceramic scaffolds with enhanced biological functionalities, showcasing immense potential for BTE applications.

Finite element analysis of wire EDM process parameters on performance characteristics of Al–SiC hybrid composite with micro and nano reinforcements

Aluminum Hybrid Composites (AHC) microchannels find extensive applications in aerospace, refrigeration and air conditioning (RAC), microelectronics, automotive, biomedical, and marine industries due to their improved mechanical properties. The combination of lower density, high hardness, elevated thermal and electrical conductivity, superior elasticity, and heightened oxidizing ability at low temperatures makes machining aluminum hybrid composites challenging through orthogonal methods in an open environment. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate the impact of various machining conditions to determine optimal parameter values for microchannel fabrication in aluminum hybrid composite materials. This study aims to identify the ideal machining parameters for Al–SiC micro-SiC nano hybrid composites using wire electrical discharge machining. Four distinct process parameters (pulse on time, gap voltage, wire tension, and wire feed rate) and two response parameters (material removal rate (MRR) and surface roughness (SR)) were considered for process optimization. Additionally, finite element modeling was conducted for the aforementioned process, and the results were compared with experimental outcomes. Single-variable optimization yielded maximum MRR at 125 tons (μs), 25 SV (volt), 12 WT (kgf), and 2 WFR (m/min), and minimum SR at 125 tons (μs), 10 SV (volt), 12 WT (kgf), and 4 WFR (m/min). Single-variable optimization for simulations resulted in maximum MRR at 125 tons (μs), 40 SV (volt), 4 WT (kgf), and 6 WFR (m/min), and minimum SR at 110 tons (μs), 10 SV (volt), 12 WT (kgf), and 2 WFR (m/min). Precise modeling aids in minimizing unnecessary machining, enabling exploration of a broader range of experimental results, thereby promoting environmentally friendly and sustainable machining practices.

Nano reinforced aluminium based Metal Matrix Hybrid Composites - an overview

Aluminium and its alloys find their application in aerospace, automobile, and marine sectors as it costs less and properties like low density, good ductility, high resistance to corrosion etc. However, aluminium has many drawbacks like low resistance to abrasion and wear, poor strength etc. These drawbacks can be overcome by adding certain materials as reinforcement into pure aluminium and its alloy. Hybrid reinforcement imbibes superior properties to Al matrix composites, compared along with single reinforced Al composites. The properties of Al matrix composite is enhanced by reinforcing with nano particles compared to micro reinforcement. In recent years, research advancement is focusing on fabrication of composites prepared by nano reinforcement materials. Various nano materials are used to fabricate aluminium/alloy matrix composites for improved abrasion, enhanced wear properties, high specific strength, better corrosion resistance etc. This review paper gives an overview of various processing techniques, different nano reinforcements used for fabrication of aluminium and its alloy matrix. Further, Hybrid Nano composite properties along with their types, concentration of reinforcement and microstructure of the composite fabricated are discussed. Finally, Future trends and potential applications of aluminium based nano composites are presented and have been concluded with recent advancements in the specified area.

Fabrication of wear resistant nanocomposite and its mechanical properties: A step towards sustainability

AbstractNowadays, particulate reinforced aluminium composites are appealing structural materials for numerous applications, such as automotive and aerospace, due to their low weight and high specific strength. Nanocomposite morphology and interfacial properties may alter when nano sized particles are reinforced with an aluminium matrix. The addition of nano reinforcement of aluminium oxide particle improve the mechanical strength of base alloy and a further improvement in mechanical properties may be enhanced by grain refinement processed under multi axial forging technique. The present study demonstrates the synthesis of wear resistant nanocomposite. It also investigates the effect of multi axial forging on microstructure, mechanical properties and wear behaviour of aluminium based nanocomposite. Optical microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction techniques were used for microstructural characterization. The fractography and worn surface analysis were examined by using scanning electron microscopy. Energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy is used to show the presence of nanoparticles in casting. After three multi axial forging passes, the average grain size was reduced up to 4.2 μm as cast and 1.15 μm in nanocomposite. The wear resistance, microhardness and tensile strength of multi axial forging processed nanocomposite were significantly improved. All improved mechanical and wear properties cause the material one step towards sustainability.

Epitaxial growth of rare-earth yttrium on nanosheets to form semicoherent interface in zinc implant

Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheet as nano reinforcement exhibits great advantages in zinc (Zn) implant due to its coordinated crystal slip and grain boundary strain effect. Nevertheless, the poor interface bonding restrains the coordination effect of MoS2. In this work, rare earth yttrium (Y) was used to epitaxial grow on the vacancy nucleation sites of MoS2 plane through a gas phase reduction method, and then introduced into Zn to improve their interface bonding. On one hand, rare earth Y could form a semicoherent interface with Zn due to the similar atomic arrangement and small lattice misfit between (101)Y plane (0.272 nm) and (002)Zn plane (0.248 nm). On the other hand, it could be tightly integrated together with sulfur element of MoS2 via covalent bond. As a result, the plastic strain of composites was improved from 6.1 % to 10.45 %. Simultaneously, the fracture energy was also increased to 201 × 103 J/m2, since rare earth Y considerably promoted load transfer efficiency from Zn matrix to MoS2 and thereby significantly activated slip systems. Encouragingly, the mechanical strength of the Zn-based biocomposite simultaneously reached 273.3 ± 10.9 MPa due to load transfer strengthening and grain refinement.

Studies on Al-Si based hybrid aluminium metal matrix nanocomposites

A lightweight Hybrid Aluminium Metal Matrix Nanocomposite (HAMNC) is proposed for brake rotor application in this work. Hypereutectic Aluminium-Silicon (Al-Si) grade LM30 alloy is opted as the matrix with Boron Carbide (nB4C) and Rutile (nTiO2) nanoparticles as reinforcements. The brake rotor samples are produced using ultrasonic squeeze-assisted stir-casting, which is cost-effective and feasible for mass production. The hybrid nanocomposite specimens are fabricated by maintaining 1 wt% of nB4C and by varying TiO2 nanoparticles from 0 wt% to 1.00 wt% in steps of 0.25 wt%. The formulations are subjected to microstructure study and dry sliding wear test. The Field Emission Scanning Electron Micrographs (FESEM) reveal that the stir-casting method combining ultrasonic and squeeze effects aids in the uniform distribution of nano reinforcements. The tribological findings show that the hybrid nanocomposite containing 0.75 wt%. of nTiO2 has an 82.76% lower specific wear rate compared to the parent LM30 alloy. Further, the HAMNC brake rotor is 60% lighter than the brake rotors made of Grey Cast Iron making it a potential replacement material.

Recent Reviews on Hybrid Nano Reinforcements for Improving Mechanical Properties of Polymers for sustainable applications

The paper reviews the impact of hybrid nano particles in polymers that would enhance the mechanical properties. Various nano fillers have been used as reinforcements that would improve the mechanical properties of the composite materials. Poly methly methacrylate (PMMA) is preferred as the matrix material especially in denture bases as it overcomes the deficiencies that the other materials show. (PMMA) is an acrylic resin commonly used with a long heritage for prosthetic reasons. It can be classed as chemically or thermally polymerized material based on the causes that trigger the reaction. The nano fillers when used as reinforcements in PMMA have shown very good results. The microstructure behavior of the distribution of the nanofillers were studied through XRD, SEM, AFM and other techniques. Some studies have used optimization techniques to compare the results.

Optimization of stir casting parameters for the tensile behavior of nano Al2O3 and ZrO2 reinforced Al-Mg-Si alloy metal composites

Stir casting is a frequently used method in the metallurgical process of casting aluminium composites. The microstructure and performance of the composites are influenced by the stirring casting parameters. The majority of research conducted in this area focused on producing composites using stir casting parameters that were predetermined, without utilizing an optimization method. This work aims to optimize the stir casting parameters for the manufacturing of Al-Mg-Si (Al6061) alloy reinforced with hybrid nano Al2O3 and nano ZrO2 in order to enhance its performance. The Taguchi optimization technique was employed to analyze the important effects of stir casting parameters on the ultimate tensile strength of a hybrid metal matrix composite. The composites were produced by the ultrasonic aided stir casting method, employing a set of process parameters determined by the Taguchi L16 orthogonal array. The S/N (Signal to Noise ratio) and Regression model were utilized to determine the optimal values and assess the influence of process parameters on the tensile qualities. The Minitab 21 software was utilized to perform simultaneous optimization of the attributes. The findings indicated that the composition of the nano reinforcement, stirring temperature, stirring speed, and stirring time all had a substantial impact on improving the UTS (Ultimate Tensile Strength) of the material.

Graphene oxide a promising formaldehyde scavenger of phenolic resin‐bonded plywood: From elaboration to evaluation

AbstractA long‐standing manufactured and most frequently used resin is phenol‐formaldehyde resin, which has currently reached new horizons by incorporating nano reinforcements, even at lower loadings. Nanostructured materials, particularly graphene, have gained considerable interest in recent years because of their fascinating characteristics. Herein, this study explores for the first time the potential of prepared graphene oxide (GnO) as an effective formaldehyde scavenger in the development of plywood panels containing PF resins. The addition of 1% of GnO to the system resulted in a significant improvements in the mechanical properties by more than 45% in the shear strength (SS), 35% in modulus of elasticity, and 25% in modulus of rupture when compared with the reference panel. While the moisture resistance of panels were found to remarkably enhanced showing an increase in SS by 25% and 37% After 24 h in cold water (20°C) and 12 h of immersion in boiling water, respectively. The results also demonstrated that GnO exhibited exceptional formaldehyde capture efficiency, surpassing 60% reduction compared with the control. This innovative research not only unveils the novel potential of GnO in improving the performance of PF resins but also ushers in a new way of developing eco‐friendly wood‐based materials.

Role of intra-ply hybridization and nano reinforcement on crack growth of epoxy

Purpose Epoxy resins are widely used in a variety of engineering applications, including composite wind turbine blades used in the renewable energy industry, highly complex structural components for aircraft, paints, coatings, industrial tooling, biomedical systems, adhesives, electronics and automotive. Epoxies' low fracture toughness is one of the key obstacles preventing its adoption in a wider range of applications. To address epoxy's low fracture toughness, this paper aims to examine the roles of intra-ply hybridization and nano reinforcing. Design/methodology/approach This paper investigates the role of intra-ply hybridization of glass-carbon woven fibers and adding 0.8 wt.% of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nano reinforcement to overcome the low fracture toughness of epoxy. A bending test is used to calculate the composites elastic parameters, and a notched sample three-point bending test is used to show crack behavior in addition to using materials characterization methods to reveal the effect of the MWCNT on structure, bonding, glass transition temperature (Tg) and dispersion of MWCNT in the matrix. Furthermore, this paper suggests using the finite element method to overcome the difficulty in calculating the crack extension. Findings Intra-ply hybridization and MWCNT reinforcement decrease the crack extension of epoxy with time. The inclusion of high-strength carbon fiber increased the fracture toughness of glass composite. Furthermore, the existence of MWCNT in the surrounding area of the notch in epoxy composites hinders crack propagation and provides stiffness at the interface by bridging the crack and eventually enhancing its fracture toughness. Originality/value Studying the role of intra-ply hybridization of glass-carbon woven fibers and adding 0.8 wt.% of MWCNT nano reinforcement to overcome the low fracture toughness of epoxy. Additionally, this research recommends using the finite element method to overcome the challenge of computing the crack extension.

Mechanical Characterization of AA357 Metal Matrix Composite with Reinforcement of Si3N4

Abstract The engineering sector researchers are always searching for new materials for their challenging applications. The aluminum alloy (AA) 357 plays a critical role in applications like automotive and aerospace because of its exceptional characteristics such as toughness, fatigue resistance, and more importantly strength-to-weight ratio, but it suffers from poor wear resistance. However, the research community is looking for enhancement in wear resistance at various loads. This research deals with AA357-Si3N4 nanocomposites fabricated through the induction stir casting method and evaluation of properties in comparison with AA357 matrix. The Si3N4 nanoparticulates were selected as reinforcement and added 0.5 to 3.0 wt.% in the steps of 0.5 wt.%. The influence of Si3N4 nano reinforcement content on hardness, strength, and wear resistance of AA357-Si3N4 nanocomposites investigative work was conducted as per ASTM standards. The studies of microstructures of AA357-Si3N4 nanocomposites were performed using an optical microscope to analyze grain structure and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to examine particle distribution. The density, hardness, and ultimate tensile strength (UTS), in addition to morphological studies of fractured surfaces and energy dispersive spectroscopy for nanocomposites elemental study. As per ASTM G99, Standard Test Method for Wear Testing with a Pin-on-Disk Apparatus, standards, pin-on-disc equipment was used to examine tribological properties of AA357-Si3N4 nanocomposites and SEM pictures of worn nanocomposites surfaces analyzed extensively. By going through the experimental outcomes, it is realized that with increase in nano reinforcement in matrix AA357, the properties such as density, resistance to indentation/hardness, and UTS increased at the expense of percentage elongation. The pin-on-disc tribometer experimental results indicate that the fabricated AA357-Si3N4 nanocomposites have higher wear resistance.

Structural and catalytic investigations of the novel carbon foam composites containing double hybrid nano reinforcements

Recently many attempts were conducted to enhance the structural morphology and properties of pitch-derived carbon foam (CF) by dispersing different additives in the CF matrix. But unfortunately, these additives enhance one property at the cost of another one. Herein, this work mainly considered the collaborated effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and functionalized nanodiamonds (FNDs) in the CF matrix phase was studied and compared with coupled CF/MWCNTs and CF/MWCNTs-FNDs hybrid composites. Coal tar pitch (CTP), a raw substance was applied to synthesize pretreated CF pitches via forming, carbonization, and graphitization techniques. Both types of nanocomposites were checked for various structural and morphological characterizations. Investigations revealed that the upgradation of microstructure, pore size, and uniform dispersion of samples can be made possible with the incorporation of nanofillers. However, between two different types of reinforcement materials, FNDs proved more influential to maximize the mechanical, thermal, and electrical attributes of CF nanocomposites. Different samples including pure CF, 1, 2, and 4 wt% CF/MWCNTs and CF/MWCNTs-FND were investigated. It was observed that with an increment in the amount of nanofiller, properties showed different variations. The best thermal, mechanical, and electrical properties were offered by 2 and 4 wt% CF/MWCNTs-FNDs hybrid samples respectively. Furthermore, the photocatalytic activity of the CF samples was investigated against Alizarin red (AR) dye. Results show that a hybrid sample of CF/MWCNTs-FND (4 wt%) is the most effective and sustainable as well as it almost decolorized about 88 % AR dye. Furthermore, it was also noticed that the dye decolorization increases with increasing catalyst dosage and pH of the medium and decreasing initial dye concentration.