Development of CNT Reinforced Al Matrix FGM for Advanced Applications in Lightweight and High Strength Components

Abstract

Due to the enormous improvement in the specific properties of Carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced aluminium matrix composites, advanced composites has been getting increased focus by researchers. Another field which has been rapidly gaining attention is functionally graded material (FGM), which offers the possibility to fabricate extraordinary machine units with required characteristics and features at a particular location to execute diverse functionality. Powder metallurgy (PM) route has been successfully used to fabricate functionally graded Al metal matrix composites reinforced with CNT. This design of FGM can be further extended to engineering parts which have the potential to be used in pace of coated materials. In the current study, a theoretical study was conducted, and literature was surveyed to develop an optimal route for the fabrication of FG Al-CNT bulk composite with unidirectional graded material composition. The continuously grading layers having distinct volume of CNT content had shown different microstructures and mechanical test values. We have studied to control the physical and mechanical properties of the bulk nanocomposite by efficiently designing individual Al/CNT gradient layer. For manufacturing Al-CNT nanocomposites, the concept of functionally grading a material’s property offers a possible course of development for several struggling light weight and high strength industries. © 2020, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.