Microstructure and Thermal Conductivity of Al-Graphene Composites Fabricated by Powder Metallurgy and Hot Rolling Techniques

doi:10.1007/s40195-017-0579-2

Abstract

Abstract:

The objective of this research is to improve the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of Al/GNPs (graphene nanoplatelets) nanocomposites produced by classical powder metallurgy and hot rolling techniques. The microstructural evaluation confirmed the uniform dispersion of GNPs at low content and agglomeration at higher contents of GNPs. The structure of graphene was studied before and after the mixing and the Raman spectrum proofs that the wet mixing has a great potential to be used as a dispersion method. There was no significant peak corresponding to the Al₄C₃ formation in both the differential scanning calorimetry curves and X-ray diffraction patterns. The microstructural observation in both fabrication techniques showed grain refinement as a function of the GNPs content. Moreover, the introduction of the GNPs not only improved the Vickers hardness of the composites but also decreased their density. The thermal conductivity investigations showed that in both the press-sintered and hot-rolled samples, although the thermal conductivity of composites was improved at low GNPs contents, it was negatively affected at high GNPs contents.

Key words: Aluminum, Graphene, Thermal conductivity, Powder metallurgy, Microstructure

Abdollah Saboori, Matteo Pavese, Claudio Badini, Paolo Fino. Microstructure and Thermal Conductivity of Al-Graphene Composites Fabricated by Powder Metallurgy and Hot Rolling Techniques[J]. Acta Metallurgica Sinica (English Letters), 2017, 30(7): 675-687.

Figures/Tables 15

Fig. 1 SEM image a and optical image b of pure Al, SEM image c and Raman spectrum d of as-received GNPs

Fig. 2 a Dimensions of the can used for the consolidation process, b-d samples before and after the various steps of the hot rolling process (RD rolling direction, TD transverse direction)

Fig. 3 Al-0.5 wt% GNPs powder mixture a; Al-0.5 wt% GNPs powder mixture, magnified b; EDS spectrum corresponding to the mentioned point c

Fig. 4 EDS maps of Al-1.0 wt% GNPs composite, showing the homogeneous dispersion of GNPs

Fig. 5 Raman spectra of as-received GNPs and mixed composite powder

Fig. 6 Differential scanning calorimetry of pure Al and Al-1.0 wt% GNPs

Fig. 7 XRD patterns of a as-received GNPs, b pure Al, c Al-0.5 wt% GNPs, d Al-1.0 wt% GNPs nanocomposites after sintering at 620 °C

Fig. 8 Optical microscopy images of press-sintered a pure Al, b Al-0.5 wt% GNPs, c Al-1.0 wt% GNPs, d SEM image of Al-1.0 wt% GNPs, e EDS analysis at a grain boundary, f a representative grain boundary of Al-1.0 wt% GNPs after sintering at 620 °C for 6 h in N2 flow

Fig. 9 SEM images of press-sintered a Al-0.5 wt% GNPs, b Al-1.0 wt% GNPs after sintering at 620 °C for 6 h in N2 flow

Fig. 10 Optical microscopy images of as-hot-rolled a, b pure Al, c, d Al-0.5 wt% GNPs, e, f Al-1.0 wt% GNPs

Fig. 11 SEM images of a hot-rolled Al-1.0 wt% GNPs, b magnification of an Al/GNPs interface

Fig. 12 Polished surface of as-hot-rolled a pure Al, b Al-0.5 wt% GNPs, c Al-1.0 wt% GNPs

Table 1 Density and Vickers hardness of Al-xGNPs (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0 wt%) produced by conventional powder metallurgy and hot rolling

Composition	ρ_C (g cm^-3)	Press sintered		Hot rolled
Composition	ρ_C (g cm^-3)	ρ (g cm^-3)	HV₅	ρ (g cm^-3)	HV₅
Pure Al	2.7	2.646	44 ± 2.1	2.557	42 ± 1.1
Al-0.5 wt% GNPs	2.695	2.628	51 ± 1.4	2.526	43 ± 1.5
Al-1.0 wt% GNPs	2.690	2.556	57 ± 4.2	2.441	42 ± 2.3

Fig. 13 Thermal conductivity of GNPs/Al produced by a, b press-sintering process, c, d hot rolling

Table 2 Properties of structure elements of the models used in the current work

	ρ (kg cm^-3)	C (J K^-1 kg^-1)	υ (m s^-1)	References
Al	2700	895	3595	[39]
Graphene	2100	710	14,500	[39]

References

[1]	N. Chen, H. Zhang, M. Gu, Y. Jin, Mater. Process. Technol. 9, 1471(2008)
[2]	A. Canakci, F. Arslan, T. Varol, Sci. Eng. Compos. Mater. 21, 505(2014)
[3]	T. Varol, A. Canakci, J. Alloys Compd. 649, 1066(2015)
[4]	M. Rashad, F. Pan, W. Guo, H. Lin, M. Asif, M. Irfan, Mater. Charact. 106, 382(2015)
[5]	A. Canakci, F. Arslan, T. Varol, Mater. Sci. Technol. 29, 954(2013)
[6]	T. Varol, A. Canakci, Arab. J. Sci. Eng. 40, 2711(2015)
[7]	M. Rashad, F. Pan, Z. Yu, M. Asif, Prog. Nat. Sci. Mater. Int. 25, 460(2015)
[8]	A. Saboori, C. Novara, M. Pavese, C. Badini, F. Giorgis, P. Fino, J. Mater. Eng.Perform. (2017). doi:10.1007/s11665-017-2522-0
[9]	J. Jiang, G. Chen, Y. Wang, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 32, 1197(2016)
[10]	Z.Y. Liu, B.L. Xiao, W.G. Wang, Z.Y. Ma, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 30, 649(2014)
[11]	Q. Li, Y. Zhang, H. Gong, H. Sun, W. Li, L. Ma, Y. Zhang, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 32, 633(2016)
[12]	M.A. Rafiee, J. Rafiee, Z. Wang, H. Song, Z.Z. Yu, N. Koratkar, ACS Nano 3, 3884 (2009)
[13]	M. Rashad, F. Pan, M. Asif, A. Tang, J. Ind. Eng. Chem. 20, 4250(2014)
[14]	A.A. Balandin, S. Ghosh, W. Bao, I. Calizo, D. Teweldebrhan, F. Miao, C.N. Lau, Nano Lett. 8, 902(2008)
[15]	S.F. Bartolucci, J. Paras, M.A. Rafiee, J. Rafiee, S. Lee, D. Kapoor, N. Koratkar, Mater. Sci. Eng., A 528, 7933 (2011)
[16]	R. Perez-Bustamante, D. Bolanos-Morales, J. Bonilla-Maetinez, I. Estrada-Guel, J. Alloy. Compd. 615, S578(2014)
[17]	M. Rashad, F. Pan, A. Tang, M. Asif, M. Aamir, J. Alloy. Compd. 603, 111(2014)
[18]	C.H. Jeon, Y.H. Jeong, J.J. Seo, H.N. Tien, S.T. Hong, Y.J. Yum, S.H. Hur, K.J. Lee, Int. J. Precis. Eng. Manuf. 15, 1235(2014)
[19]	B. Lee, M.Y. Koo, S.H. Jin, K.T. Kim, S.H. Hong, Carbon N. Y. 78, 212(2014)
[20]	L.A. Yolshina, R.V. Muradymov, I.V. Korsun, G.A. Yakovlev, S.V. Smirnov, J. Alloys Compd. 663, 449(2016)
[21]	C. Xue, H. Bai, P.F. Tao, J.W. Wang, N. Jiang, Mater. Des. 108, 250(2016)
[22]	S.R. Bakshi, A. Agarwal, Carbon N. Y. 49, 533(2011)
[23]	J.L. Li, Y.C. Xiong, X.D. Wang, S.J. Yan, C. Yang, W.W. He, J.Z. Chen, S.Q. Wang, X.Y. Zhang, X.L. Dai, A 626, 400 (2015)
[24]	A.C. Ferrari, J. Robertson, Phys. Rev. B 64, 1 (2001)
[25]	T.M.G. Phys. Rev. B 79, 1 (2009)
[26]	C.F. Deng, D.Z. Wang, X.X. Zhang, A.B. Li, A 444, 138 (2007)
[27]	C.F. Deng, Y.X. Ma, P. Zhang, X.X. Zhang, D.Z. Wang, Mater. Lett. 62, 2301(2008)
[28]	C. Suryanarayana, E. Ivanov, V.V. Boldyrev, A 306, 151 (2001)
[29]	T. Varol, A. Canakci, Microstructure. Met. Mater. Int. 21, 704(2015)
[30]	M. Zabihi, M.R. Toroghinejad, A. Shafyei, A 560, 567 (2013)
[31]	B.N. J. Mater. Eng. Perform. 21, 1249(2012)
[32]	R. Jamaati, S. Amirkhanlou, M.R. Toroghinejad, B. Niroumand, A 528, 2143 (2011)
[33]	K. Chu, C. Jia, Phys. Status Solidi A 211, 184 (2014)
[34]	M. Rashad, F. Pan, Y. Liu, X. Chen, H. Lin, J. Magnes. Alloy. 4, 270(2016)
[35]	F. Chen, J. Ying, Y. Wang, S. Du, Z. Liu, Q. Huang, Carbon N. Y. 96, 836(2016)
[36]	R.C. Progelhof, J.L. Throne, R.R. Ruetsch, Polym. Eng. Sci. 16, 615(1976)
[37]	E.T. Swartz, R.O. Pohl, Rev. Mod. Phys. 61, 605(1989)
[38]	A.J. Schmidt, K.C. Collins, A.J. Minnich, G. Chen, J. Appl. Phys. 107, 104(2010)
[39]	B. Dewar, M. Nicholas, P.M. Scott, J. Mater. Sci. 11, 1083(1976)