Intragranular Dispersion Of Carbon Nanotubes Comprehensively Improves Aluminum Alloys

Keywords

aluminum; carbon nanotubes; creep; in situ transmission electron microscopy; intragranular

Abstract

The room-temperature tensile strength, toughness, and high-temperature creep strength of 2000, 6000, and 7000 series aluminum alloys can be improved significantly by dispersing up to 1 wt% carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the alloys without sacrificing tensile ductility, electrical conductivity, or thermal conductivity. CNTs act like forest dislocations, except mobile dislocations cannot annihilate with them. Dislocations cannot climb over 1D CNTs unlike 0D dispersoids/precipitates. Also, unlike 2D grain boundaries, even if some debonding happens along 1D CNT/alloy interface, it will be less damaging because fracture intrinsically favors 2D percolating flaws. Good intragranular dispersion of these 1D strengtheners is critical for comprehensive enhancement of composite properties, which entails change of wetting properties and encapsulation of CNTs inside Al grains via surface diffusion-driven cold welding. In situ transmission electron microscopy demonstrates liquid-like envelopment of CNTs into Al nanoparticles by cold welding.

Publication Date

7-1-2018

Publication Title

Advanced Science

Volume

5

Issue

7

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.201800115

Socpus ID

85045846202 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85045846202

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS