To extend the application of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and explore novel aluminum matrix composites, CNTs were coated by molybdenum layers using metal organic chemical vapor deposition, and then Mo-coated CNT (Mo-CNT)/Al composites were prepared by the combination processes of powder mixing and spark plasma sintering. The influences of powder mixing and Mo-CNT content on the mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of the composites were investigated. The results show that magnetic stirring is better than mechanical milling for mixing the Mo-CNTs and Al powders. The electrical conductivity of the composites decreases with increasing Mo-CNT content. When the Mo-CNT content is 0.5wt%, the tensile strength and hardness of Mo-CNT/Al reach their maximum values. The tensile strength of 0.5wt% Mo-CNT/Al increases by 29.9%, while the electrical conductivity only decreases by 7.1%, relative to sintered pure Al. The phase analysis of Mo-CNT/Al composites reveals that there is no formation of Al carbide in the composites.
Metal/diamond composites have been considered as the new generation of thermal management material. The critical challenge to obtain composites with high thermal conductivity (TC) is to improve the interfacial bonding between the matrix and diamond. In the present study, a titanium coating was plated on the surface of diamond particles via vacuum evaporation–deposition, and Al/diamond composites were consolidated by spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The TC and microstructure of composites, respectively, with coated and uncoated diamond particles are compared and discussed. The results show that the Ti coating can significantly increase the wetting property between Al and diamond, leading to a strong interfacial bonding. The diffusion of Ti into the matrix and the formation of TiC are detected at the Al–diamond interface. The properties of composites, respectively, with coated and uncoated diamond exhibit different trends with increasing sintering temperature or diamond volume fraction. Compared with composites with uncoated particles, the Al/Ti–diamond composites obtained the much higher relative density and TC as high as 491 W/mK. Based on the comparison between the experimental and theoretical values, it is found that the thermal conductivities of Al/Ti–diamond composites have reached or surpassed the theoretical calculations with the particle volume fraction not more than 50%.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.