Hardness and flexural strength of single-walled carbon nanotube/alumina composites
Source abstract
Abstract
This work adds new experimental facts on room temperature hardness and flexural strength of alumina and composites with 1, 2, 5 and 10 vol% single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) with similar grain size. Monolithic Al2O3 and composites were spark plasma sintered (SPS) in identical conditions at 1300 &Deg;C, achieving high density, submicrometric grain size and a reasonably homogeneous distribution of SWNT along grain boundaries for all compositions with residual agglomerates. Vickers hardness values comparable to monolithic alumina were obtained for composites with low (1 vol%) SWNT content, though they decreased for higher concentrations, attributed to the fact that SWNT constitute a softer phase. Three-point bending flexural strength also decreased with increasing SWNT content. Correlation between experimental results and microstructural analysis by electron microscopy indicates that although SWNT agglomerates have often been blamed for detrimental effects on the mechanical properties of these composites, they are not the main cause for the reported decay in flexural strength. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media New York.
Source: openaire · Quality: candidate unverified · Source record ↗
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Advanced ceramic materials synthesis · Carbon Nanotubes in Composites · Aluminum Alloys Composites Properties
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
References (48)
Show source-provided references
1. Li F, Cheng H, Bai S, Su G, Dresselhaus M (2000) Tensile strength of single-walled carbon nanotubes directly measured from their macroscopic ropes. Appl Phys Lett 77(20):3161–316310.1063/1.1324984 ↗
2. Inam F, Yan H, Jayaseelan DD, Peijs T, Reece MJ (2010) Electrically conductive alumina-carbon nanocomposites prepared by spark plasma sintering. J Eur Ceram Soc 30(2):153–15710.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2009.05.045 ↗
3. Sivakumar R, Guo S, Nishimura T, Kagawa Y (2007) Thermal conductivity in multi-wall carbon nanotube/silica-based nanocomposites. Scr Mater 56(4):265–26810.1016/j.scriptamat.2006.10.025 ↗
4. Zhan GD, Kuntz JD, Wan JL, Mukherjee AK (2003) Single-wall carbon nanotubes as attractive toughening agents in alumina-based nanocomposites. Nat Mater 2(1):38–4210.1038/nmat793 ↗
5. Okada A (2008) Automotive and industrial applications of structural ceramics in Japan. J Eur Ceram Soc 28(5):1097–110410.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2007.09.016 ↗
6. Inam F, Yan H, Peijs T, Reece MJ (2010) The sintering and grain growth behaviour of ceramic-carbon nanotube nanocomposites. Compos Sci Technol 70(6):947–95210.1016/j.compscitech.2010.02.010 ↗
7. Xu H, Jahanmir S (1995) Effect of grain-size on scratch damage and hardness of alumina. J Mater Sci Lett 14(10):736–739
8. Miyahara N, Yamaishi K, Mutoh Y, Uematsu K, Inoue M (1994) Effect of grain-size on strength and fracture-toughness in alumina. Int J Ser A-Mech Mater Eng 37(3):231–237
9. You X, Si T, Liu N, Ren P, Xu Y, Feng J (2005) Effect of grain size on thermal shock resistance of Al2O3–TiC ceramics. Ceram Int 31(1):33–3810.1016/j.ceramint.2004.02.009 ↗
10. Hiraga K, Kim B, Morita K, Yoshida H, Suzuki TS, Sakka Y (2007) High-strain-rate superplasticity in oxide ceramics. Sci Technol Adv Mater 8(7–8):578–58710.1016/j.stam.2007.09.006 ↗
11. Xia Z, Riester L, Curtin WA, Li H, Sheldon BW, Liang J, Chang B, Xu JM (2004) Direct observation of toughening mechanisms in carbon nanotube ceramic matrix composites. Acta Mater 52(4):931–94410.1016/j.actamat.2003.10.050 ↗
12. Mukhopadhyay A, Chu BTT, Green MLH, Todd RI (2010) Understanding the mechanical reinforcement of uniformly dispersed multiwalled carbon nanotubes in alumino-borosilicate glass ceramic. Acta Mater 58(7):2685–269710.1016/j.actamat.2010.01.001 ↗
13. Padture NP (2009) Multifunctional composites of ceramics and single-walled carbon nanotubes. Adv Mater 21(17):1767–177010.1002/adma.200802270 ↗
14. Sun J, Gao L, Iwasa M, Nakayama T, Niihara K (2005) Failure investigation of carbon nanotube/3Y-TZP nanocomposites. Ceram Int 31(8):1131–113410.1016/j.ceramint.2004.11.010 ↗
15. Laurent C, Peigney A, Dumortier O, Rousset A (1998) Carbon nanotubes Fe alumina nanocomposites. Part II: microstructure and mechanical properties of the hot-pressed composites. J Eur Ceram Soc 18(14):2005–201310.1016/S0955-2219(98)00142-3 ↗
16. Thomson KE, Jiang D, Ritchie RO, Mukherjee AK (2007) A preservation study of carbon nanotubes in alumina-based nanocomposites via Raman spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance. Appl Phys A-Mat Sci Proc 89(3):651–65410.1007/s00339-007-4253-9 ↗
17. Jiang D, Thomson K, Kuntz JD, Ager JW, Mukherjee AK (2007) Effect of sintering temperature on a single-wall carbon nanotube-toughened alumina-based nanocomposite. Scr Mater 56(11):959–96210.1016/j.scriptamat.2007.02.007 ↗
18. Ahmad K, Pan W (2008) Hybrid nanocomposites: a new route towards tougher alumina ceramics. Compos Sci Technol 68(6):1321–132710.1016/j.compscitech.2007.12.011 ↗
19. Mo C, Cha S, Kim K, Lee K, Hong S (2005) Fabrication of carbon nanotube reinforced alumina matrix nanocomposite by sol–gel process. Mat Sci Eng A-Struct 395(1–2):124–12810.1016/j.msea.2004.12.031 ↗
20. Cha S, Kim K, Lee K, Mo C, Hong S (2005) Strengthening and toughening of carbon nanotube reinforced alumina nanocomposite fabricated by molecular level mixing process. Scr Mater 53(7):793–79710.1016/j.scriptamat.2005.06.011 ↗
21. Fan JP, Zhao DQ, Wu MS, Xu ZN, Song J (2006) Preparation and microstructure of multi-wall carbon nanotubes-toughened Al2O3 composite. J Am Ceram Soc 89(2):750–75310.1111/j.1551-2916.2005.00774.x ↗
22. Kim SW, Chung WS, Sohn K, Son C, Lee S (2009) Improvement of flexure strength and fracture toughness in alumina matrix composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes. Mat Sci Eng A-Struct 517(1–2):293–29910.1016/j.msea.2009.04.035 ↗
23. Yamamoto G, Hashida T (2012) Carbon nanotube reinforced alumina composite materials. In: Hu N (ed) Composites and their properties: InTech10.5772/48667 ↗
24. Ahmad I, Unwin M, Cao H, Chen H, Zhao H, Kennedy A, Zhu YQ (2010) Multi-walled carbon nanotubes reinforced Al2O3 nanocomposites: mechanical properties and interfacial investigations. Compos Sci Technol 70(8):1199–120610.1016/j.compscitech.2010.03.007 ↗
25. Bakhsh N, Khalid FA, Hakeem AS (2013) Synthesis and characterization of pressureless sintered carbon nanotube reinforced alumina nanocomposites. Mat Sci Eng A-Struct 578:422–42910.1016/j.msea.2013.04.020 ↗
26. Ahmad I, Cao H, Chen H, Zhao H, Kennedy A, Zhu YQ (2010) Carbon nanotube toughened aluminium oxide nanocomposite. J Eur Ceram Soc 30(4):865–87310.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2009.09.032 ↗
27. Liu J, Rinzler A, Dai H, Hafner J, Bradley R, Boul P, Lu A, Iverson T, Shelimov K, Huffman C, Rodriguez-Macias F, Shon Y, Lee T, Colbert D, Smalley R (1998) Fullerene pipes. Science 280(5367):1253–125610.1126/science.280.5367.1253 ↗
28. Poyato R, Vasiliev AL, Padture NP, Tanaka H, Nishimura T (2006) Aqueous colloidal processing of single-wall carbon nanotubes and their composites with ceramics. Nanotechnology 17(6):1770–177710.1088/0957-4484/17/6/038 ↗
29. Omori M (2000) Sintering, consolidation, reaction and crystal growth by the spark plasma system (SPS). Mat Sci Eng A-Struct 287(2):183–18810.1016/S0921-5093(00)00773-5 ↗
30. Munir ZA, Anselmi-Tamburini U, Ohyanagi M (2006) The effect of electric field and pressure on the synthesis and consolidation of materials: a review of the spark plasma sintering method. J Mater Sci 41(3):763–77710.1007/s10853-006-6555-2 ↗
31. Thomson KE, Jiang D, Yao W, Ritchie RO, Mukherjee AK (2012) Characterization and mechanical testing of alumina-based nanocomposites reinforced with niobium and/or carbon nanotubes fabricated by spark plasma sintering. Acta Mater 60(2):622–63210.1016/j.actamat.2011.10.002 ↗
32. Wang XT, Padture NP, Tanaka H (2004) Contact-damage-resistant ceramic/single-wall carbon nanotubes and ceramic/graphite composites. Nat Mater 3(8):539–54410.1038/nmat1161 ↗
33. Poyato R, Gallardo-López A, Gutiérrez-Mora F, Morales-Rodríguez A, Muñoz A, Domínguez-Rodríguez A (2014) Effect of high SWNT content on the room temperature mechanical properties of fully dense 3YTZP/SWNT composites. J Eur Ceram Soc 34(6):1571–157910.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2013.12.024 ↗
34. Morales-Rodriguez A, Poyato R, Gallardo-Lopez A, Muñoz A, Dominguez-Rodriguez A (2013) Evidence of nanograin cluster coalescence in spark plasma sintered alpha-Al2O3. Scr Mater 69(7):529–53210.1016/j.scriptamat.2013.06.019 ↗
35. González L, Cumbrera F, Sánchez-Bajo F, Pajares A (1994) Measurement of fiber orientation in short-fiber composites. Acta Metall Mater 42(3):689–69410.1016/0956-7151(94)90266-6 ↗
36. Vasiliev AL, Poyato R, Padture NP (2007) Single-wall carbon nanotubes at ceramic grain boundaries. Scr Mater 56(6):461–46310.1016/j.scriptamat.2006.12.007 ↗
37. Poorteman M, Traianidis M, Bister G, Cambier F (2009) Colloidal processing, hot pressing and characterisation of electroconductive MWCNT-alumina composites with compositions near the percolation threshold. J Eur Ceram Soc 29(4):669–67510.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2008.07.047 ↗
38. Huang Q, Jiang D, Ovid’ko IA, Mukherjee A (2010) High-current-induced damage on carbon nanotubes: the case during spark plasma sintering. Scr Mater 63(12):1181–118410.1016/j.scriptamat.2010.08.030 ↗
39. Morales-Rodríguez A, Gallardo-López A, Fernández-Serrano A, Poyato R, Muñoz A, Domínguez-Rodríguez A (2014) Improvement of Vickers hardness measurement on SWNT/Al2O3 composites consolidated by spark plasma sintering. J Eur Ceram Soc. doi: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2014.05.04810.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2014.05.048 ↗
40. Peigney A, Flahaut E, Laurent C, Chastel F, Rousset A (2002) Aligned carbon nanotubes in ceramic-matrix nanocomposites prepared by high-temperature extrusion. Chem Phys Lett 352(1–2):20–2510.1016/S0009-2614(01)01441-5 ↗
41. Zapata-Solvas E, Gomez-Garcia D, Dominguez-Rodriguez A (2012) Towards physical properties tailoring of carbon nanotubes-reinforced ceramic matrix composites. J Eur Ceram Soc 32(12):3001–302010.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2012.04.018 ↗
42. Zapata-Solvas E, Gómez-García D, Domínguez-Rodríguez A (2010) On the microstructure of single wall carbon nanotubes reinforced ceramic matrix composites. J Mater Sci 45(9):2258–226310.1007/s10853-009-4126-z ↗
43. Liu L, Hou Z, Zhang B, Ye F, Zhang Z, Zhou Y (2013) A new heating route of spark plasma sintering and its effect on alumina ceramic densification. Mat Sci Eng A-Struct 559:462–46610.1016/j.msea.2012.08.126 ↗
44. Inam F, Peijs T, Reece MJ (2011) The production of advanced fine-grained alumina by carbon nanotube addition. J Eur Ceram Soc 31(15):2853–285910.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2011.07.011 ↗
45. ASTM C116113 (1996) standard test method for flexural strength of advanced ceramics at ambient temperature. In: Anonymous book of standards, vol 15.01
46. Kasperski A, Wibel A, Estournès C, Laurent Ch, Peigney A (2013) Preparation-microstructure-property relationships in double-walled carbon nanotubes/alumina composites. Carbon 53:62–7210.1016/j.carbon.2012.10.030 ↗
47. Flahaut E, Peigney A, Laurent C, Marliere C, Chastel F, Rousset A (2000) Carbon nanotube-metal-oxide nanocomposites: microstructure, electrical conductivity and mechanical properties. Acta Mater 48(14):3803–381210.1016/S1359-6454(00)00147-6 ↗
48. Poorteman M, Descamps P, Cambier F, Leriche A, Thierry B (1993) Hot isostatic pressing of SiC-platelets Y-Tzp composites. J Eur Ceram Soc 12(2):103–10910.1016/0955-2219(93)90129-F ↗