Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

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Materials Today: Proceedings

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Production and properties of aluminum-based composites modified with

carbon nanotubes
M.P. Kuz’min, M.Yu. Kuz’mina, A.S. Kuz’mina
Irkutsk National Research Technical University, 83 Lermontov St., Irkutsk 664074, Russian Federation

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: A hot pressing method is developed for aluminum powder with preliminary sample and die heating to
Received 27 April 2019 600 °C. The effect of modifying aluminum with carbon nanotubes in an amount of 0.01–1 wt% is studied.
Accepted 2 July 2019 It is established that the best uniformity and mechanical strength applies to aluminum specimens con-
Available online xxxx
taining small additions of nanotubes, i.e., 0.01–0.05 wt. (elasticity modulus – 2346 N/mm2; tensile load
– 2829 N; tensile elongation – 1.454 mm). The electrical resistance values of composite samples obtained
Keywords: by hot pressing of aluminum powder are close to cast aluminum values (0.3 Ohm).
Aluminum
Ó 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Composite materials
CNT
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International
Carbon nanotubes Conference on Modern Trends in Manufacturing Technologies and Equipment 2019.
Nano-modifiers
Hot pressing

1. Introduction nanotubes (CNTs) have unique physical and chemical properties

The development of composite materials, consisting of the
metal matrix and reinforcing elements distributed in it, is one of
the most priority directions for the development of modern metal-
lurgy and materials science. In some cases, only composite materi-
als can meet the requirements of new technologies characterized
with tougher operating conditions: increased loads, higher speeds
and temperatures, more aggressive environments and weight loss
[1–4]. Moreover, metal-matrix nanocomposites have a significant
advantage over conventional composites because the strengthen-
ing effects are highly enhanced by reducing the size of reinforcing
agents from micro to nanometer-scale [5].
Numerous researches have been focused on the developments
of metal matrix composites in various applications [5–12]. Among
nanocomposites, aluminum-matrix composites have developed
greatly and are widely used in many industrial fields. This is due
to the fact that aluminum matrix composites can have increased
strength, low specific gravity as well as a favorable combination
of a number of mechanical and operational properties.
Carbon nanotubes (CNT) and their mechanical properties have
been closely investigated since the late 1990s [1,9]. Theoretical
work [1] and experimental results [5–9] have indicated their
extraordinary stiffness and strength, which are unparalleled by
any other material available today. It is known that carbon
(tensile strength of 10–110 GPa, Young’s modulus of 0.62–
1.2 TPa, large aspect ratio (>100), thermal expansion coefficient
(CTE 0), specific gravity of 1.2–2.1 g/cm3), which makes their
use as nanomodifiers promising [13]. Their introduction into alu-
minum and its alloys can significantly improve physical and
mechanical properties (hardness, wear resistance, crack resistance,
etc.) of finished products. For these reasons, aluminum-matrix
composites reinforced by carbon nanotubes draw particular inter-
est as promising materials in aerospace and automobile industries
because of their light weight, high strength and anti-corrosive
properties [14]. In this regard, many researchers have attempted
to fabricate metal-matrix composites reinforced with CNTs [12–
18]. However, despite this enthusiastic field of research, CNT-
reinforced Al-matrix composites are still far away from being com-
mercialized, and improvement of their mechanical properties is
not proportional to the significant properties of CNTs because of
some difficulties especially associated with CNT dispersion and
controlling of Al/CNT interface.
The main problem of creating ‘‘metal-CNT” composite materials
is the high tendency of nanotubes to agglomeration, while their
uniform distribution in the metal matrix volume is required to
obtain high values of mechanical properties [2,17].
At present, there are many methods for obtaining metal matrix
composites using CNTs: introduction of nanostructures into

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.021
2214-7853/Ó 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the International Conference on Modern Trends in Manufacturing Technologies and Equipment
2019.

Please cite this article as: M. P. Kuz’min, M. Y. Kuz’mina and A. S. Kuz’mina, Production and properties of aluminum-based composites modified with car-
bon nanotubes, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.021
2 M.P. Kuz’min et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

metallic melt; hot spraying (plasma spraying, cold spraying); elec-

trochemical methods (electrodeposition, chemical deposition);
laser spraying; mixing of powders at the molecular level; nanos-
cale dispersion [1,5–12]. However, the most promising way for
obtaining aluminum-carbon nanotube composites is the powder
metallurgical technique. Its prospects are due to the rapid develop-
ment of powder metallurgy, creation of new powder materials
with unique properties, as well as the possibility for industrial
use. The essence of the technology consists in mixing of aluminum
powder particles with CNTs and their sintering during subsequent
or simultaneous pressing.

2. Materials and research methods

In order to produce the metal based composite material, the
powder of PAP-2 technical aluminum (GOST 5494-95), which
was obtained at SUAL-PM of UC RUSAL, was used. The research
of the original aluminum powder using the method of scanning
electron microscopy with the JIB-4500 Multibeam microscope
manufactured by JEOL, made it possible to establish that it con-
sisted of spherical particles of 0.2–4 lm (Fig. 1a).
To strengthen the aluminum matrix, the multilayer nanotubes
manufactured by NanoTechCenter LLC were chosen (carbon nano-
material ‘‘Taunit”). The used CNTs were obtained using the chem-
ical vapor deposition (CVD) method. The research provides the
results of X-ray phase and electron microprobe analyses [5].
According to the manufacturing company, the internal diameter
of nanotubes is 5–10 nm, the outer diameter is 20–40 nm, the
length of nanotubes is in the range of 2–20 lm. In their original
form, the nanotubes are in the agglomerated state (Fig. 1b).
To separate the nanotubes in agglomerates, to prevent the sub-
sequent agglomeration and to improve the interaction with alu-
minum powder particles, the original CNTs were functionalized
in the mixture of concentrated sulfuric and nitric acids (in 3:1 vol-
ume ratio) during 90 minutes at 90 °C [6].
The CNTs in the amount of 1; 0.5; 0.1; 0.05; 0.01 wt% were
mixed with the aluminum powder. The mixtures were prepared
out in a jasper mortar for 20 minutes [11]. Then, using ultrasonic
intensive mixing, the resulting mixture was averaged to get a uni-
form distribution of nanotube particles in the volume of aluminum
powder (Fig. 2).
Furthermore, the sample weight of each mixture was put into a
‘‘piston-cylinder” mold made of HRC 62-64 tool steel. The mold
was placed in a muffle shaft furnace preheated to 600 °C, then it
was kept in the furnace for 10 min with the subsequent pressing
Fig. 2. Schematic representation of CNT distribution in the volume of aluminum
powder.
of the sample weight. The prepared composition was pressed on
the P6324B UHL 4.1 hydraulic press manufactured by the Tambov
Plant for technological equipment with the maximum force of
250 kN. The obtained samples were ‘‘tablets” with a diameter of
25 mm and thickness of 4 mm
The hardness tests were performed using the Brinell method
with a hard-alloy ball with a diameter of 5 mm at the load of
98 N (the Zwick/Roell ZHU 250 universal hardness tester). The Shi-
madzu AG-X series testing machine with the maximum load of
500 kN was used to measure the elastic modulus, tensile load
and breaking elongation of samples.
Electrical conductivity of the samples was measured at an
ambient temperature using the four-point probe technique (the
Van der Pauw method) with the help of the HL5500PC Hall Effect
measurement system.
To study the phase composition of the composite samples, the
X-ray structure analysis was applied using the XRD-7000 X-ray
diffractometer manufactured by Shimadzu. The samples were
investigated in the 2h-range from 10 to 70°.
3. Results and discussion
It is known that the production of high-quality composite mate-
rials Al-CNT is complicated with a number of factors [1,2,11]:
– high tendency of nanotubes to agglomeration prevents their
uniform distribution in the aluminum matrix;
– high surface energy of nanoparticles prevents the formation of
quality monolithic samples.

Fig. 1. SEM images of: (a) PAP-2 aluminum powder; (b) multilayered carbon nanotubes.

Please cite this article as: M. P. Kuz’min, M. Y. Kuz’mina and A. S. Kuz’mina, Production and properties of aluminum-based composites modified with car-
bon nanotubes, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.021
 M.P. Kuz’min et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx 3

When carbon nanotubes were mixed with aluminum powder, of aluminum samples obtained without introduction of nanomod-
such problems were solved through: ifiers was 1380 N, and for the cast samples it was 1750 N.
The obtained results show a significant improvement of the
– introduction of carbon nanotubes into aluminum powder in the mechanical properties of composite materials of aluminum-
amount less than 1 wt%; carbon nanotubes when the content of the latter in the aluminum
– consolidation of nanotubes in a jasper mortar for 20 min; matrix is 0.05–0.01 wt%. However, the modification of aluminum
– ultrasonic mixing; with CNT does not allow to significantly increase the plastic prop-
– preliminary temperature exposure (the aluminum powder is erties of composites in comparison with the samples obtained
not brought to the melting point of 660 °C and the carbon nan- without nanomodifiers. When the content of nanotubes is 0.01
otubes are not brought to the carbonation stage – 720 °C [10]). wt%, the tensile elongation is 1.454 mm, and without application
of nanotubes it is 0.490 mm (Fig. 3c). In this case, the tensile elon-
In the course of the study, aluminum samples with CNT content gation of the cast sample is 2.164 mm.
in the amount of 1; 0.5; 0.1; 0.05; 0.01 wt% were prepared. In addi- The electrical resistance of aluminum samples modified with
tion, the reference samples without carbon nanotubes were carbon nanotubes decreases with the decrease in nanotubes con-
produced. centration. When the concentration of nanotubes in the aluminum
Mechanical properties of the samples were evaluated based on matrix is 1–0.5 wt%, the electrical resistance of the samples is 0.6
determination of their strength (elasticity modulus, tensile load) Ohm, when the concentration is 0.1–0.01 wt%, its values are
and plasticity (breaking elongation) indices. The results of mechan- reduced to 0.3 Ohm.
ical tests of aluminum samples modified with CNTs, which were The microstructure of compacted aluminum modified with
obtained during hot pressing at a preheating temperature of CNTs was studied using the method of light microscopy (EM)
600 °C, are shown in Fig. 3. and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fig. 4 shows the struc-
The values of the elasticity modulus indicate that the strength ture of the obtained composite materials with different content
of composite materials increases with the decrease in quantity of of nanotubes.
the carbon nanotubes introduced (Fig. 3a). When the content of In the sample with CNT content of 0.01 wt%, due to the low con-
CNT is in the amount of 0.01 wt%, the elasticity modulus was centration, only individual nanotubes located in the intergrain
2346 N/mm2, which is two and a half times more than 2 times space were found among aluminum particles. This indirectly indi-
higher than the value of the elasticity modulus when the nanotube cates their uniform distribution in the volume of the aluminum
content is 1 wt%. The elasticity modulus of the aluminum samples, matrix. The samples are characterized by a lack of porosity.
obtained without introduction of nanomodifiers, was 1300 N/mm2. In the sample, containing nanotubes in the amount of 0.1 wt%, it
This indicates that the introduction of CNT into aluminum in the is also possible to observe a fairly uniform distribution of carbon
amount of more than 0.5 wt% does not result in the increase in nanotubes. However, in these samples, the porosity development
the elasticity modulus. However, when the concentration of carbon is observed.
nanotubes is 0.01 wt%, the elasticity modulus of the samples vio- In the composite containing 1 wt%, it is possible to observe an
lently increases up to 2346 N/mm2, which exceeds its value for a increased development of porosity associated with the formation
cast sample (1350–1500 N/mm2). of large agglomerates. This circumstance is the main reason for
Measurements of the tensile load of the samples showed that the violent decrease in the strength properties of the samples.
with a decrease in the number of CNTs introduced, its values To determine the effect of adding CNTs in the amount of 0.01 wt
increase (Fig. 3b). When the content of carbon nanotubes is 0.01 % on the structure of the obtained composite (the presence of car-
wt%, the tensile load reaches the value of 2829 N. The tensile load bide and aluminum oxide, which can have a negative effect on its

1 0,5 0,1 0,05 0,01 1 0,5 0,1 0,05 0,01

Elasticity modulus, N/mm2

2346 2829
2500 3000
Tensile load, N

2000
1520 1854
1350 2000
1500 1151 1423
923 1221
1000 983
1000
500
0 0
CNT content, wt. % CNT content, wt. %

a b
2
1 0,5 0,1 0,05 0,01
Tensile elongation, mm

1.454
1.5

1
0.623
0.49
0.5 0.325 0.402

0
CNT content, wt. %

c
Fig. 3. Mechanical properties of aluminum-based composites: (a) elasticity modulus; (b) tensile load; (c) breaking elongation.

Please cite this article as: M. P. Kuz’min, M. Y. Kuz’mina and A. S. Kuz’mina, Production and properties of aluminum-based composites modified with car-
bon nanotubes, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.021
4 M.P. Kuz’min et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Fig. 4. Microstructure of the obtained composites with different content of CNTs: (a) 0.01 wt%; (b) 0.1 wt. %; (c) 1 wt%

properties), the samples were examined using the X-ray phase

analysis (Fig. 5).
The peaks of metallic aluminum (38.5, 44.7, 65.1° 2h) with a
cubic crystal lattice (a = 4.05 Å) have the highest intensity. In the
range of 25–45° 2h there are peaks belonging to carbon with a
hexagonal crystal lattice (a = 2.47 Å, c = 6.79 Å). Peaks with values
of 26.3; 42.2; 44.34° 2h have the highest intensity. There are no
peaks of alumina in the diffractogram, which may indicate the par-
tial destruction of oxide films on the surface of aluminum particles
during their compaction. Al4C3 peaks are not detected either. This
indicates that the reaction of carbide formation does not take place
at selected values of temperature of hot pressing and CNTs
concentration.
The performed research showed that aluminum samples con-
taining small additions of nanoparticles (0.01–0.05 wt% of CNTs)
are characterized by the greatest homogeneity. Carbon nanotubes
contained in the amount of more than 0.1 wt% cause the formation
of heterogeneities due to the agglomerates formed by nanotubes.
This feature has a decisive influence on the reduction of mechani- Fig. 5. Diffractogram of the aluminum sample with CNTs in the amount of 0.01 wt%
cal properties of the resulting composite materials. compacted at t = 600 °C (e – peaks of Al, D – peaks of C).

Please cite this article as: M. P. Kuz’min, M. Y. Kuz’mina and A. S. Kuz’mina, Production and properties of aluminum-based composites modified with car-
bon nanotubes, Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2019.07.021
 M.P. Kuz’min et al. / Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx
4. Conclusion
The obtained results indicate that the introduction of carbon
nanotubes into the aluminum structure can significantly improve
its properties. An increased level of mechanical strength has been
recorded for aluminum in the structure of which there is 0.01–
0.05 wt% of CNTs. Carbon nanotubes (more than 0.1 wt%) cause
the formation of inhomogeneities due to formation of agglomer-
ates by nanotubes. The electrical resistance values of composite
samples obtained by hot pressing of aluminum powder are close
to cast aluminum values. The only indicator that composite mate-
rials of aluminum-carbon nanotubes are inferior to cast items is
their plasticity. One of the possible solutions of this problem is
the application of deformation of large degrees (the accumulated
rolling method), which allows to completely destroy oxide films
along the aluminum particle boundaries, and also to reach the
matrix material welding around CNTs. In this case, higher values
of strength, wear resistance and plasticity of the material can be
obtained.
Acknowledgment
The research was supported by the grant for the financial sup-
port of scientific and pedagogical collectives of Irkutsk National
Research Technical University (project № 02-fpk-19).
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