Spark Plasma Sintering of Aluminum-Based Powders Reinforced with Carbon Nanotubes: Investigation of Electrical Conductivity and Hardness Properties |
| |
Authors: | Nicolá s A. Ulloa-Castillo,Oscar Martí nez-Romero,Roberto Hernandez-Maya,Emmanuel Segura-Cá rdenas,Alex Elí as-Zú ñ iga |
| |
Affiliation: | 1.Department of Mechanical Engineering and Advanced Materials, School of Engineering and Sciences, Tecnologico de Monterrey Av. Eugenio Garza Sada Sur 2501, Monterrey 64849, Nuevo León, Mexico; (O.M.-R.); (E.S.-C.);2.Research and Development Department, Siemens, Libramiento Arco Vial Poniente Km 4.2, Santa Catarina 66350, Nuevo León, Mexico; |
| |
Abstract: | This paper focuses on reporting results obtained by the spark plasma sintering (SPS) consolidation and characterization of aluminum-based nanocomposites reinforced with concentrations of 0.5 wt%, 1 wt% and 2 wt% of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Experimental characterization performed by SEM shows uniform carbon nanotube (CNT) dispersion as well as carbon clusters located in the grain boundary of the Al matrix. The structural analysis and crystallite size calculation were performed by X-ray diffraction tests, detecting the characteristic CNT diffraction peak only for the composites reinforced with MWCNTs. Furthermore, a considerable increment in the crystallite size value for those Al samples reinforced and sintered with 1 wt% of CNTs was observed. Hardness tests show an improvement in the composite surface hardness of about 11% and 18% for those samples reinforced with 2 wt% of SWNCTs and MWCNTs, respectively. Conductivity measurements show that the Al samples reinforced with 2 wt% of MWCNTs and with 0.5 wt% SWCNTs reach the highest IACS values of 50% and 34%, respectively. |
| |
Keywords: | multi-walled carbon nanotubes single-walled carbon nanotubes spark plasma sintering (SPS) electrical conductivity aluminum powders sample hardness |
|
|