Multi-walled Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Aluminum Nanocomposites by Cold Kinetic Spraying
| Category | Publications |
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| Abstract | Multiwalled carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced aluminum nanocomposite was prepared using cold kinetic spraying. Spray drying was used to obtain a good dispersion of the nanotubes in micron sized gas atomized Al-Si eutectic powders. Cold spraying of the spraydried powders did not result in formation of coating. Hence, spray dried powders containing 5wt% CNT were mixed with aluminum silicon alloy and sprayed onto AA6061 substrate. It was difficult to form coatings in excess of 100Âm which was attributed to the presence of spray drying binder between the splats and the poor deposition efficiency of Al-Si powders. Finally the spraydried powders were mixed with pure aluminum powder and cold sprayed. Thick coatings of the order of 500m could be sprayed having an overall CNT composition of 0.5wt% and 1wt%. SEM of the fracture surface showed uniform distribution of nanotubes. The nanotubes were found to be shorter than the ones in the spray dried powder and some of them seemed to be embedded in the aluminum matrix. HRTEM showed nanotube damage occurring by shearing. Cold spraying was performed in the School of Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Nottingham, United Kingdom. The IREE program led to the formation of excellent ties for future research with our collaborator at the University of Nottingham. Visiting Nottingham and talking to students was an enriching experience for the student researcher in terms of using facilities. The visit was also informative about the culture and historical heritage of the place. |
| Contributor | daniel polonsky |
| Bio | Arvind Agarwal received his B. Tech. and M. Tech. degrees in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur in 1993 and 1995, respectively. He received the Ph.D. degree in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in 1999. Following three years as a researcher in the thermal spray industry, he has been an Assistant Professor (and now Associate Professor) of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the Florida International University since 2002. His current research interests include carbon nanotube reinforced metal and ceramic nanocomposites, bioceramics, nanomechanics and nanotribology, surface engineering, thermal spray and near net shape processing,. He has been the recipient of CAREER award from NSF in 2006. He has established Plasma Forming Laboratory and Nanomechanics and Nanotribology Laboratory at FIU. Srinivasa Rao Bakshi received his B. E. degree in Metallurgical Engineering from National Institute of Technology, Rourkela in India in 2001. Thereafter he appeared in Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, GATE 2001, and topped in India by securing Rank 1. He obtained his Masters degree from the Department of Metallurgy of Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India, in 2003. He worked in Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in India as Scientific Officer until 2005. He joined the Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at the Florida International University in 2005 for his PhD degree. He has been awarded with the Presidential Enhanced Assistantship during his PhD. He has authored and/or co-authored 6 journal articles during his PhD in the last 2 years. |
| Sponsored By | NSF CMMI-634949 |
| Cite this work | Researchers should cite this work as follows: Srinivasa R. Bakshi and Arvind Agarwal, "Multi-walled Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Aluminum Nanocomposites by Cold Kinetic Spraying", Trip report presented at the NSF IREE 2007 Grantees Conference, October 30 - November 1, 2007, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana |
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