This document summarizes a research study on producing an aluminum metal matrix composite with dual reinforcement of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and silicon carbide particles. Aluminum powder was mechanically milled with varying volumes of MWCNTs and SiC to improve dispersion of the nanotubes. The composite powders were then hot pressed into pellets and characterized. SEM images showed the SiC helped disperse the MWCNTs in the aluminum matrix. Hardness testing found the dual reinforced composites had significantly higher hardness than pure aluminum. The study demonstrated that powder metallurgy can be used to fabricate aluminum composites with improved properties through MWCNT and SiC reinforcement.

1. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 5, May (2014), pp. 151-156 © IAEME
151
ALUMINIUM METAL MATRIX COMPOSITE WITH DUAL
REINFORCEMENT
K.R. Padmavathi1
, Dr. R. Ramakrishnan2
1
Dept. of Mechanical Engg, Sathyabama University, Chennai, India,
2
Department of Sports technology, Tamilnadu Physical Education & Sports University, Chennai,
ABSTRACT
Metal matrix composites are important class of engineering materials used in automotive,
aerospace and other applications because of their lower density, higher specific strength, and better
physical and mechanical properties compared to pure aluminium. Multiwall Carbon Nanotube
(MWCNT) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) reinforced Aluminium (Al) metal matrix composite materials
were fabricated by mechanical ball milling and hot pressing processes. The SiC was used as a
physical mixing agent to increase dispersity of the MWCNT in the Al particles. It was observed that
the MWCNT was better dispersed in the Al particles with a SiC mixing agent compared to without it
used. The fabricated specimens were characterized using SEM and which validates the presence of
SiC and MWCNT and also the hardness of this composite is increased considerably as compared
with the hardness of pure aluminium. This dual reinforced Al metal matrix composites by powder
metallurgical approach could also be applied to complex matrix materials.
Keywords : Aluminium, Ball milling, Metal Matrix composites (MMCs), Multiwall Carbon
nanotubes (MWCNT), Silicon carbide(SiC),.
I. INTRODUCTION
Many industries are investing in the development of engineering materials with better
performance because of customer demands such as high mechanical performances, lightness and
better durability among other improvements [1]. Carbon nanotubes are of considerable interest for
next generation industrial materials because of their unique properties, especially their hundred times
greater strength and approximately five times lower density compared with conventional materials
which makes them potentially useful for reinforcing composite materials [2,4-5]. This unique nano-
order material can not only be utilized on its own in precision industrial fields but can also provide
high performance functionality in conjunction with conventional materials. Moreover, MWCNTs are
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polymers of pure carbon and can be reacted and manipulated using the rich chemistry of carbon. This
provides opportunity to modify the structure and to optimize solubility and dispersion, allowing
innovative applications in materials, electronics, chemical processing and energy management, to
name just a few [3].
In summary, three properties of MWCNTs are specifically interesting for the industry: the
electrical conductivity (as conductive as copper), their mechanical strength (Up to 15 to 20 times
stronger than steel and 5 times lighter) and their thermal conductivity (same as that of diamond and
more than five times that of copper). Carbon nanotubes have a Young's modulus of approximately 1
TPa, maximum tensile strength of nearly 30 GPa and the density of MWCNT is 2.6 g/cm3 A
combination of these impressive properties enables a whole new variety of useful and beneficial
applications. For this reason, many researchers are investigating the fabrication of CNT reinforced
metal, ceramic, and polymer matrix composite materials. [5]. However, the fabrication of CNT
reinforced metal matrix composites appears difficult compared to other matrix materials because of
the difficulty of homogeneously dispersing the MWCNTs into the metal matrix while controlling the
interfacial integrity [6]. It is very important that the achievement of a sufficiently good dispersion,
which is a prerequisite to obtaining any benefit from the unique.
Hybrid nanocomposites based on aluminum alloy 6061 reinforced with different hybrid ratios
of SiC (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 vol. %) and B4C (fixed 0.5 vol. %) nano particles were successfully
fabricated using ultrasonic cavitation based solidification process. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a ceramic
material with high strength and high hardness. However, it displays brittle behavior and has low
resistance to fracture. Several methods to increase the fracture toughness of bulk SiC include
modifying the SiC grain size and shape and by incorporating additional phases. Reinforcement of
SiC typically is employed to increase the fracture toughness of SiC [7].
Lu [10] reported that MWCNT/SiC composites were fabricated by aqueous tape casting. The
relative density of the composite was about 98% after hot-pressing at 1850°C (at 25 MPa in Ar for
30 min). The hardness of the composites decreased with the increase in MWCNTs content. The
flexural strength and the fracture toughness were 742.17 MPa and 4.63 MPa·m1/2, respectively when
the MWCNT content was 0.25 wt%. Further increase in MWCNT content to 0.50 wt% did not lead
to the increase in mechanical properties. Most of MWCNTs were found to be located at SiC grain
boundaries and pull out of the MWCNTs was observed. The fabricated cast specimens were
characterized using SEM study with EDS analysis, hardness test, tension test and impact test[8].
Mica and SiC ceramic particles were incorporated into Al 356 alloy by stir-casting route. The results
indicate that the better strength and hardness are achieved with Al/10SiC−3mica composites. The
increase in mass fraction of mica improves the wear loss of the composites [9].
In this study, pure aluminum (Al) was reinforced with different kinds of particles aiming at
tailoring the hardness response of the composite. Silicon carbide particles (SiC) were added as an
active solid mixing agent for good homogeneous dispersion of MWCNTs in the Al powder. SiC is
still widely used in the industry because of its excellent temperature tolerance, corrosion resistance,
thermal shock resistance, electric conductivity and superior chemical inertness [6]. Microscale SiC
particles as well as nano scale carbon nanotubes were mixed in SPEX ball milling process with Al
powder to achieve a homogeneous dispersion. The composite powders were compacted into pellets
by hydraulic press and then sintered at the box furnace. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was
used to evaluate CNT dispersion, powder morphology, CNT damage and also the hardness of the
composites were compared.
II. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE
Multiwalled CNTs (Redex Technologies) and pure Aluminium powder (purity 99.5%, mean
particle size 200mesh) were used as the starting materials. The properties of MWCNT are shown in

3. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 5, May (2014), pp. 151-156 © IAEME
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Table 1 and the compositions of aluminium is shown in Table 2. The Al powder and the reinforcing
materials (1, 3 and 6 volume percentage MWCNT and SiC) were mixed in a SPEX ball mill for two
hours under argon atmosphere at 360 rpm, using Ø10 mm balls, a 10:1 ball to powder weight ratio,
and 2 weight percentage of strearic acid as a process control agent (PCA).
Table 1. Properties of MWCNT
Aspect Ratio ~1000
Specific Surface Area SSA 350 m2
/g
Purity – wt% >97%
Average Outer Diameter 20 nm
Average Inner Diameter 5nm
Number of walls 5-15
Length 50 Micrometer
Table 2. Properties of Aluminium
Elements Al As Pb Fe
%
99.5
%
0.0005
%
0.03
%
0.5
%
The Al-MWCNT-SiC composite powders were assembled inside a 50mm diameter and
10mm thick die, with compositions ranging from Al to 1 vol % MWCNT- 1vol%CNT, 3 vol %CNT-
3 vol % SiC and 6 vol %CNT- 6 vol % SiC respectively followed by hot-pressing with the uniaxial
pressure of 320 MPa and consolidating at 550˚ C for 1.5 hours by sintrring process. The micro
Vickers hardness of the ball milled composites were measured using the loads of 0.02 kgf and at
least three measurements per sample. The microstructure of MMC was observed using high
resolution Scanning Electron microscopy (Zeiss).
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Fig.1 shows TEM and Fig.2 shows the SEM images of as received MWCNT. The raw
MWCNT have an extremely curved and twisted morphology with a high aspect ratio of 1000. The
Aluminium and SiC particles have an irregular, roughly spherical shape. Fig.3 shows the SEM of
ball milled pure aluminium as agglomeration of it.
In Fig. 4 the SEM of 1volume % MWCNT- 1vol%SiC with pure aluminium is shown with a
bunch of MWCNT’s in the middle and are mixed with aluminium by SiC. Fig. 5 shows SEM image
of Pure aluminium with 3vol % MWCNT- 3vol%SiC which also clearly interprets the dispersion of
MWCNT with aluminium by SiC and Fig. 6 displays the SEM image of 6vol % MWCNT-
6vol%SiC with aluminium as small curved agglomerates of the composite.
It indicates that the nearly uniform distribution of nanoparticles (MWCNT) in the aluminum
matrix. The mean aluminium particle size decreased after ball milling process, although some larger
particles are still observed. According to high magnification observations these larger particles are
agglomerates made of fine particles [7]. Several MWCMT’s are still observed in the composite
powders by SEM as shown in Fig.3 to Fig.6. The carbon nanotubes appear either as short fibers,
curved tubes or dots when the tubes are embedded in the ductile aluminium matrix. It is however
noteworthy that the CNT’s were cut during the ball milling process as its initial length is more than a
few hundred micrometers. The different crystalline phases present in the Aluminium, the
6vol %CNT- 6vol % SiC composite powder in addition to Al and Silicon carbide.

4. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 5, May (2014), pp. 151-156 © IAEME
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Fig. 1. TEM image of MWCNT Fig. 2. SEM image of MWCNT
Fig 3. Ball milled Aluminium Fig. 4. Al +1vol % MWCNT- 1vol%SiC
Fig. 5. Al + 3vol % MWCNT- 3vol%SiC Fig. 6. Al + 6vol % MWCNT- 6vol%SiC
The ball milled and compacted pellets of the composites were heat treated and were subjected
to micro Vickers hardness test to compare the hardness of Aluminium (Sample1) with the composite
as (Sample2). The load of 0.2kgf is applied over a dwell period of fifteen seconds. Three different
indentations are made at different sites on each of the sample and the average is taken as a final
result. The results are shown in Fig. 7 and it can be interpreted that the Vickers hardness value(HV)
of the composite(21.1HV) is considerably increased as compared with that of the pure
Aluminium(15.97 HV).

5. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Technology (IJMET), ISSN 0976 – 6340(Print),
ISSN 0976 – 6359(Online), Volume 5, Issue 5, May (2014), pp. 151-156 © IAEME
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fig. 7
IV. CONCLUSIONS
High energy ball milling, pelleting and sintering is a possible route to fabricate effectively,
the fully dense nano structured reinforced aluminium matrix materials using a solid mixing. The
addition of SiC particles allowed a better dispersion of the highly agglomerated MWCNT’s into the
aluminium matrix as confirmed by the micro and nano structural analysis. Also the micro hardness
values of the composites are increased than the pure aluminium.
The dual reinforcement dispersion method may be applied to systems other than the
aluminium matrix composites, thus offering a new potential for nanostructured composite materials.
This work is a preliminary study, detailed study is required to evaluate the contribution of SiC and
MWCNT particles on the mechanical properties of the hybrid composites.
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