Fabrication of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced 6061Al Alloy Matrix Composites by an In Situ Synthesis Method Combined with Hot Extrusion Technique

doi:10.1007/s40195-016-0376-3

Abstract

Abstract:

Carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced 6061Al alloy matrix composites were prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) combined with hot extrusion technique. During the preparation process, the 6061Al flakes obtained by ball milling of the 6061Al spherical powders were subjected to surface modification to introduce a hydrophilic polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membrane on their surface (6061Al@PVA) to bond strongly with nickel acetate [Ni(II)]. Then the 6061Al@PVA flakes bonded with Ni(II) were calcined and reduced to Ni nanoparticles, which were then heat-treated at 580 °C to remove PVA for obtaining even Ni/6061Al catalyst. After that, the as-obtained Ni/6061Al catalyst was employed to synthesize CNTs on the surface of the 6061Al flakes by CVD. After hot extrusion of the CNT/6061Al composite powders, the as-obtained CNT/6061Al bulk composites with 2.26 wt% CNTs exhibited 135% increase in yield strength and 84.5% increase in tensile strength compared to pristine 6061Al matrix.

Key words: Metal, matrix, composites, (MMCs), Microstructure, Mechanical, properties, Carbon

Chun-Nian He, Chao Feng, Ji-Chuan Lin, En-Zuo Liu, Chun-Sheng Shi, Jia-Jun Li, Nai-Qin Zhao. Fabrication of Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced 6061Al Alloy Matrix Composites by an In Situ Synthesis Method Combined with Hot Extrusion Technique[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2016, 29(2): 188-198.

Figures/Tables 11

Fig. 1 Production processes of CNT/6061Al composite powders

Fig. 2 SEM micrographs showing the effects of milling time on 6061Al morphology: a initial; b 5 min; c 45 min; d60 min

Table 1 Effect of milling time on the morphology of the 6061Al particles

Milling time (min)	Morphology	Average diameter of flakes (µm)	Average thickness of flakes (µm)	Specific surface area (m²/g)
5	Uneven particles	-	-	-
15	Flakes	16	11	0.01
30	Flakes	20	6	0.04
45	Flakes	44	3	0.08
60	Flakes	55	2	0.13
90	Flakes	56	2	0.13
120	Flakes	57	2	0.15

Fig. 3 SEM images of the 6061Al flakes obtained by ball milling for 60 min

Fig. 4 a FTIR spectra of PVA-modified 6061Al flakes and the 6061Al flakes after PVA pyrolysis; b XRD pattern of Ni/6061Al catalyst; c SEM image of Ni/6061Al catalyst; d TEM image of Ni/6061Al catalyst

Fig. 5 SEM images a, b, TEM image c, Raman spectrum d of the CNT/6061Al composite powders fabricated by CVD for 40 min

Fig. 6 SEM images of the CNT/6061Al fabricated by CVD for various time: a, b flake powders, 20 min, 1.05 wt% CNTs; c, d flake powders, 45 min, 3.01 wt% CNTs; e, f spherical powders, 40 min

Fig. 7 Density a and hardness b of the composites as a function of CNTs contents; c room-temperature true stress-strain curves in tensile test for the pristine 6061Al and CNT/6061Al composites with CNTs contents in the range of 0 to 3.01 wt%; d specific strength of the composites as a function of CNTs contents

Table 2 Properties of the extruded 6061Al, CNTs/6061Al composites produced by in situ CVD and CNTs/6061Al composites produced by mechanical ball milling process

Sample	Theoretical density (g/cm³)	Relative density (%)	Yield strength (MPa)	Ultimate tensile strength (MPa)	Elongation (%)	Hardness (HV)
Pristine 6061Al	2.73	98.9	77	142	13.7	77.5
6061Al-0.76 wt% CNTs	2.72	98.5	-	-	-	87.0
6061Al-1.05 wt% CNTs	2.71	97.0	162	241	11.2	89.2
6061Al-1.9 wt% CNTs	2.68	97.0	-	-	-	91.6
6061Al-2.26 wt% CNTs	2.67	96.3	181	262	8.5	100.0
6061Al-3.01 wt% CNTs	2.65	92.5	120	195	1.8	69.5
6061Al-2.26 wt% CNTs^a	2.67	94.5	111	199	5.6	82

Fig. 8 SEM fractographs of the hot extruded 6061Al-2.26 wt% CNTs composite: a low magnification SEM image of the general fracture surface; b high magnification SEM image of a typical pull-out CNT

Fig. 9 a, b TEM images of interfacial microstructure of the 6061Al-2.26 wt% CNT composite; c selected-area diffraction pattern of the interfacial transition layer

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