Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Explosive Shock-Wave Consolidation of Aluminum Powder/Carbon Nanotube Aggregate Mixtures: Optical and Electron Metallography

  • Symposium: Dynamic Behavior of Materials
  • Published:
Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The formation of conventional metal-matrix composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) has proven difficult because of the agglomeration and inability of CNTs to disperse. We have explored the explosive consolidation of 150-μm aluminum powder/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) aggregates (including multiconcentric fullerenes) at volume percentages of 2 and 5 pct. These consolidated mixtures formed two-phase, monolithic systems (TPSs) with the MWCNT aggregate material spreading along the Al grains and forming carbon phases mainly at the Al particle triple points. The Al powder particle (or grain) hardness increased from HRE 22 to HRE 40 for the consolidated Al, while the two-phase system hardness dropped from HRE 40 to HRE 39 and 33, respectively, for 2 and 5 vol pct MWCNT aggregate additions. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations illustrate a laminate-like structure of the consolidated MWCNT aggregate material, which is easily delaminated, causing intergranular (Al) failure. The Al grains exhibited a shock-induced dislocation substructure (0.5 to 3 μm) and recrystallized subgrains, which increased the individual particle/grain Vickers hardness from 24 to 43 HV.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11
Fig. 12

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. T. Kuzumaki, K. Miyazawa, H. Ichonose, K. Ito: J. Mater. Res., 1998, vol. 13, pp. 2445–49.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. R. George, K.T. Kashyap, S. Rahul, S. Yandagri: Scripta Mater., 2005, vol. 53, pp. 1159–63.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Y. Feng, L.Y. Hai, M. Zhang: Mater. Characterization, 2005, vol. 55, pp. 211–18

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. T.W. Clyne, P.J. Withers: An Introduction to Metal Matrix Composites, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom, 1995

    Google Scholar 

  5. N. Chawla, K.K. Chawla: Metal Matrix Composites, Springer, New York, NY, 2006

    Google Scholar 

  6. M.A. Meyers, S.L. Wang: Acta Metall., 1988, vol. 36(4), pp. 925–36

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. C.L. Xu, B.Q. Wei, R.Z. Ma, J. Liang, X.K. Ma, D.H. Wu: Carbon, 1998, vol. 37, pp. 855–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. A.B. Peikrishvili, L.A. Japaridze, K.P. Staudhammer, F.S. Marquis, N.M. Chikhradze, T.G. Gobejishvili, E.G. Bantzuri: in Fundamental Issues and Applications of Shock-Wave and High-Strain Phenomena, K.P. Staudhammer, L.E. Murr, M.A. Meyers, eds., Elsevier, Ltd., Amsterdam, 2001, p. 249

    Google Scholar 

  9. N.G. Alba-Baena, L.E. Murr, A. Loya-Puga, W. Salas, R.M. Arrowood, and D.E. Bujanda: Mater. Sci. Technol., (MS&T), Materials and Systems Proc., 2006, vol. 2, pp. 369–80

  10. ASM Handbook, ASM INTERNATIONAL, Materials Park, OH, 1990, pp. 3–215

  11. G. Withers: Adv. Mater. Processes, 2005, Sept., pp. 44–48

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors express their appreciation to Rodrigo Rios-Rodriguez and Alejandro Loya-Puga, Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez (UACJ), Manufacturing Engineering Laboratories; Frank Medina and Hector Sandoval, UTEP W.M. Keck Lab.; Tony Zimmerly and Kevin Dziegiel, New Mexico Tech, EMRTC; and Drs. John McClure and Luis Trueba, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering Department, UTEP. This research is supported by a CONACYT-PROMEP (Mexico) Fellowship and a Mr. and Mrs. MacIntosh Murchison Endowment at UTEP.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma City, OK, USA

    W. Salas (Engineer)

  2. Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez, Juarez, Mexico

    N.G. Alba-Baena (Professor)

  3. University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX, 79907, USA

    L.E. Murr (Professor)

Authors
  1. W. Salas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. N.G. Alba-Baena
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L.E. Murr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to N.G. Alba-Baena.

Additional information

This article is based on a presentation made in the symposium entitled “Dynamic Behavior of Materials,” which occurred during the TMS Annual Meeting and Exhibition, February 25–March 1, 2007 in Orlando, Florida, under the auspices of The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society, TMS Structural Materials Division, and TMS/ASM Mechanical Behavior of Materials Committee.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Salas, W., Alba-Baena, N. & Murr, L. Explosive Shock-Wave Consolidation of Aluminum Powder/Carbon Nanotube Aggregate Mixtures: Optical and Electron Metallography. Metall Mater Trans A 38, 2928–2935 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-007-9336-x

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-007-9336-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation