Carbon Materials Reinforced Aluminum Composites: A Review

Abstract

Carbon materials, including carbon fibers, graphite, diamond, carbon foams, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, are attractive reinforcements for aluminum matrix composites due to their excellent mechanical and/or physical properties as well as light weight. Carbon materials reinforced aluminum (C/Al) composites are promising materials in many areas such as aerospace, thermal management, and automobile. However, there are still some challenging problems that need to be resolved, such as interfacial reactions, low wettability, and anisotropic properties. These problems have limited the use of these composites. This review mainly focuses on the categories, fabrication processes, existing problems and solutions, coatings and interfaces, challenges and opportunities of C/Al composites so as to provide a useful reference for future research.

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Multiphase Strengthened Al/Si/Al2O3/SiO2/MWCNTs Nanocomposites Sintered by In Situ Vacuum Hot Pressing

“…Based on the concept of multiphase reinforcements for enhanced effect, we used a powder metallurgy method to sinter the nanocomposites by in situ vacuum hot pressing. Such a powder metallurgy method worked at a preparation temperature which is much lower than the traditional methods to prevent a product of brittle Al 4 C 3 interfacial phase [19].…”

The Evolution of Interfacial Microstructure and Fracture Behavior of Short Carbon Fiber Reinforced 2024 Al Composites at High Temperature

“…To overcome the limitations of the high-temperature mechanical properties of aluminum alloys, carbon materials (carbon fiber, carbon nanotube (CNT), graphene, etc.) reinforced aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) have been fabricated owing to their excellent properties such as high strength, high modulus, heat resistance and wear resistance [7][8][9][10][11].…”

Microstructures of Carbon Fiber and Hybrid Carbon Fiber-Carbon Nanofiber Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composites by Low Pressure Infiltration Process and Their Properties

“…A number of techniques have been developed to manufacture metal matrix composites (MMCs), including powder metallurgy process, 14,15) hot extrusion, 16) hot rolling 17) and casting method, 18) however, powder metallurgy process costs high energy, hot extrusion and rolling methods are difficult to fabricate complicated shaped composites. Though casting method possesses many merits and it is an easy way to fabricate composites, the not well wettability between fibers and aluminum makes fiber hard to uniformly disperse in the matrix.…”