Investigation of graphene-reinforced magnesium metal matrix composites processed through a solvent-based powder metallurgy route

In the present investigation, AZ31 alloy is homogeneously reinforced with 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 wt% of reduced graphene oxide (r-GO) nanosheets for the first time through a series of methodologies involving solvent processing, mechanical alloying, cold pressing and finally sintering under argon atmosphere at $$560^\circ \hbox {C}$$ . Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) assisted with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis revealed that this inventive fabrication route is useful to easily disperse r-GO into the matrix material and thereby attain methodical homogeneity with a uniform particle size. The attained results show that amongst the others, addition of 0.4 wt% r-GO have obviously improved the hardness up to 64.6 HV and also yielded a better inhibition efficiency of 84% on corrosion. Any further increase of r-GO content resulted for significant decrease in the wear rate up to the level of $$2.6~\hbox {mm}³\hbox { Nm}^-1$$ .