Carbon nanotube reinforced Cu–10Sn alloy composites: Mechanical and thermal properties

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing, 2011-08, Vol.528 (22), p.6727-6732
• Main Authors: Bhat, Abhimanyu, Balla, Vamsi Krishna, Bysakh, Sandip, Basu, Debabrata, Bose, Susmita, Bandyopadhyay, Amit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Bronzes; Carbon nanotube; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; COPPER ALLOYS (40 TO 99.3 CU); Copper base alloys; COPPER TIN ALLOYS; Elasticity. Plasticity; Exact sciences and technology; Heat transfer; Laser deposition; Laser processing; Materials science; Mechanical properties; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metal matrix composites (MMC); Metals. Metallurgy; Microstructure; MICROSTRUCTURES; Nonelectronic thermal conduction and heat-pulse propagation in solids; thermal waves; Physics; PROPERTIES; REINFORCEMENT; Strain hardening; STRAIN HARDENING MECHANISMS; Thermal conductivity; Thermal properties; Transport properties of condensed matter (nonelectronic)
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2011.05.038

► CNT reinforced Cu–10Sn alloy composites were fabricated using high power lasers. ► The addition of CNTs showed considerable improvement in mechanical and thermal properties of Cu–10Sn alloy. ► Mechanical and thermal properties estimated using analytical models were in good agreement with experimental data. Multiwall carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced Cu–10Sn alloy composites were fabricated using high power lasers. Microstructural observations showed that CNTs were retained in the composite matrix after laser processing. The addition of CNTs showed improvement in strain hardening, mechanical and thermal properties of Cu–10Sn alloy. Composites with 12 vol.% CNTs showed more than 80% increase in the Young's modulus and 40% increase in the thermal conductivity of Cu–10Sn alloy. Yield strength estimates using a model based on strengthening mechanisms in metal matrix nanocomposites and thermal conductivities derived from the Maxwell–Garnett effective medium theory were found to be in good agreement with our experimental data.