Effects of Cu content on microstructures and compressive mechanical properties of CNTs/Al-Cu composites

The carbon nanotubes(CNTs) reinforced Al-Cu matrix composites were prepared by hot pressing sintering and hot rolling, and the effects of Cu content on the interfacial reaction between Al and CNTs, the precipitation behavior of Cu-containing precipitates, and the resultant mechanical properties of the composites were systematically investigated. The results showed that the increase of Cu content can not only increase the number and size of Cu-containing precipitate generated during the composite fabrication processes, but also promote the interfacial reaction between CNTs and Al matrix, leading to the intensified conversion of CNTs into Al_(4)C_(3). As a result, the composite containing 1 wt.% Cu possesses the highest strength, elastic modulus and hardness among all composites, due to the maintenance of the original structure of CNTs. Moreover, the increase of Cu content can change the dominant strengthening mechanisms for the enhanced strength of the fabricated composites.

Hot deformation and processing maps of as-sintered CNT/Al-Cu composites fabricated by flake powder metallurgy

The deformation behaviors of as-sintered CNT/Al-Cu composites were investigated by isothermal compression tests performed in the temperature range of 300-550°C and strain rate range of 0.001-10 s-1 with Gleeble 3500 thermal simulator system.Processing maps based on dynamic material model(DMM)were established at strains of 0.1-0.6,and microstructures before and after hot deformation were characterized by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),electron backscatter diffraction(EBSD)and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy(HRTEM).The results show that the strain has a significant influence on the processing maps,and the optimum processing domains are at temperatures of 375-425°C with strain rates of 0.4-10 s-1 and at 525-550°C with 0.02-10 s-1 when the strain is 0.6.An inhomogeneous distribution of large particles,as well as a high density of tangled dislocations,dislocation walls,and some sub-grains appears at low deformation temperatures and strain rates,which correspond to the instability domain.A homogeneous distribution of fine particles and dynamic recrystallization generates when the composites are deformed at 400 and 550°C under a strain rate of 10 s-1,which correspond to the stability domains.

Microstructure and Mechanical Property of in-situ Al-Cu/TiC Composites

An approach named direct reaction synthesis (DRS) has been developed to fabricate particulate composites with an extremely fine reinforcement size. ID situ Al matrix composites were fabri-cated by DRS. Extensive analysis of the composites microstructure using SEM and TEM identify that the reinforcement formed during the DRS process is Ti carbide (TiC) particle, generally less than 1.0 μm. The reacted, semisolid extruded samples exhibit a homogeneous distribution of fine TiC particles in Al-Cu matrix, Mechanical property evaluation of the composites has revealed a very high tensile strength relative to the matrix alloy. Fractographic analysis indicates ductile failure although the ductility and strength are limited by the presence of coarse titanium aluminides (Al3Ti).

Effect of GNPs on microstructures and mechanical properties of GNPs/Al-Cu composites with different heat treatment status

Microstructural and mechanical behavior of heat treatable Al-4.6Cu binary alloy reinforced with graphene nanoplates(GNPs) in different heat treatment status were investigated in this paper.The addition of GNPs significantly enhanced the yield strength and tensile strength of Al-Cu alloy regardless of the heattreatment conditions.It was also found that GNPs accelerated the formation of precipitates,leading to a greatly shortened aging time for GNPs/Al-4.6Cu composite to reach the peak hardness.However,aging treatment enhanced the strength of GNPs/Al-Cu composite very little,which could be explained by the interaction between GNPs,precipitates and dislocations.This work inspires us that the heat treatment process of aluminum alloy matrix composites should be designed independently with the matrix in quest of an optimum performance.

Solid-state bonding between Al and Cu by vacuum hot pressing

Diffusion bonding between aluminum and copper was performed by vacuum hot pressing at temperatures between 623 and 923 K through two thermal processes： hot compression under the deformation rate of 0.2 mrrdmin for 10 rain at pre-set temperatures, and additional pressing at 0.2 mm/min for 20 rain during furnace cooling. After analyzing interface, the feasible diffusion bonding temperature was suggested as 823 K. The three major intermetallic layers generated during diffusion bonding process were identified as AIECu, AlCu＋AlaCu4 and Al4Cu9. Furthermore, local hardness values ofAlECU, AlCu＋AlaCu4 and Al4Cu9 layers average at （4.97±0.05）, （6.33±0.00） and （6.06±0.18） GPa, respectively.