Iranian Journal of Manufacturing Engineering

Iranian Journal of Manufacturing Engineering

The effect of alumina addition on the mechanical properties and microstructure of aluminum matrix composite reinforced with multi-walled carbon nanotubes

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Hossein Nasiri 1
Mohammad Morad Sheikhi 1
Haidar Ramazani 1
Soroush Parvizi 2
Zahra Alirezaei 2
1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of Materials and Metallurgical Engineering, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/ijme.2025.492621.2034
Abstract
Aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) are among the most common metal matrix composites (MMCs), widely utilized in major industries such as automotive and aerospace. Selecting suitable reinforcements to improve the mechanical properties of these composites is highly valuable for industrial applications. In the present study, the effect of adding alumina in 0, 1, and 3 wt% to an AMC reinforced with 1 wt% multi-walled carbon nanotubes was investigated. Initially, the primary powders were mixed using a planetary ball milling method for 2 hours with a ball-to-powder ratio of 10:1. The resulting powder mixtures were subjected to hydraulic pressing at 150 MPa to achieve initial strength, followed by sintering at 530°C for 45 minutes. According to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images, the dispersion of reinforcements in the composite matrix was nearly uniform, demonstrating the suitability of the selected milling method and duration. Based on the results of mechanical property tests, the alumina-free sample exhibited a hardness of 24.3 Brinell and a wear coefficient of 0.410. In comparison, the sample containing 3 wt% alumina achieved a hardness of 30.6 Brinell and a wear coefficient of 0.332, representing a 26% increase in hardness and a 19% reduction in the wear coefficient. These improvements in properties can be attributed to the intrinsic hardness of alumina, the uniform dispersion of reinforcements in the matrix, and the synergistic effect of the reinforcements.
Keywords
Aluminum Matrix Composite
Powder Metallurgy
Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes
Mechanical Properties
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