Ultra-high strength GNP/2024Al composite via thermomechanical treatment

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2021.08.056

Abstract

Abstract:

The 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites were prepared by accumulated shear deformation combined with heat treatment, i.e. the thermomechanical treatment (TMT). The results showed that homogeneous distributed GNPs that aligned along the plastic deformation direction were obtained by six-pass drawing in the solution heat treatment state. The introducing of high-density dislocations in Al matrix by multiple drawing resulted in enhanced nucleation of precipitates and subsequent uniform growth during ageing. Consequently, ultra-strength GNP/2024Al composites, with yield and ultimate tensile strength 482 and 571 MPa, respectively, were achieved. The high strength was attributed to homogeneous dispersion of undamaged GNPs, fine and dispersed precipitations and work-hardening effect. This work demonstrated that TMT could act as a feasible strategy for preparing high-performance GNP/Al composites.

Key words: Metal-matrix composites (MMCs), Graphene nano-platelets (GNPs), Interface, Ultra-strength composites, Thermomechanical treatment (TMT)

Zhong Zheng, Xuexi Zhang, Mingfang Qian, Jianchao Li, Muhammad Imran, Lin Geng. Ultra-high strength GNP/2024Al composite via thermomechanical treatment[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2022, 108: 164-172.

Figures/Tables 15

Fig. 1. Schematic diagram showing fabrication procedure of 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites by spark plasma sinter (SPS) and thermomechanical treatment (TMT).

Table 1. Summary of the nomenclature of 2024Al alloys and 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites under different preparation conditions.

Processing conditions	2024Al	GNP/2024Al
Extrusion	ED_-2024Al	ED_-GNP/2024Al
Extrusion+ 495 °C/60 min+Water cooling	ED+Q_-2024Al	ED+Q_-GNP/2024Al
Extrusion+ 495 °C/60 min+Water cooling+ Six-pass drawing	ED+Q+DN_6p-2024Al	ED+Q+DN_{6p-GNP/2024Al}
Extrusion+ 495 °C/60 min+Water cooling+ Six-pass drawing+ Ageing	ED+Q+DN_6p+A_-2024Al	ED+Q+DN_6p+A_-GNP/2024Al

Fig. 2. (a) SEM image of the as-sintered 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites; (b)-(e) EDS mapping of Al, C, Cu and Mg elements of (a); (f) statistical size of GNP aggregates.

Fig. 3. XRD pattern of solid solution-treated and untreated extruded 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites. The insets show the distribution of precipitates in un-solution treated and solid solution-treated extruded composites.

Fig. 4. SEM images showing GNPs morphology (a) and size of GNP aggregates (b) in 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites processed by ED+Q+DN6p (extrusion + solid solution + six-pass drawing). The Drawing Direction (DD) is marked in (a).

Fig. 5. Morphology and thickness of GNPs in 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites processed by ED+Q+DN6p (extrusion + solid solution + six-pass drawing). (a) TEM micrograph showing distribution of dispersed GNPs; (b) Statistical thickness of GNPs. The inset in (a) is a HRTEM image showing an exfoliated GNP.

Fig. 6. Vickers hardness of 5.0 vol.% GNPs/Al composites and 2024Al alloys with different ageing time.

Fig. 7. TEM images showing interactions between GNPs and precipitates in ED+Q+DN6p+A3h composites (ED+Q+DN6p followed by ageing at 463 K for 3 h). (a) TEM bright field image showing formation of precipitates on GNPs; (b) HAADF-STEM image; (c) Scanning TEM image for all elements; (d)-(i) Scanning TEM images for C, Al, Cu, Mg, Si and Mn elements.

Fig. 8. Microstructures of 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites processed by (a) ED+Q (extrusion + solid solution), (b) ED+Q+DN6p (extrusion + solid solution + six-pass drawing), (c) ED+Q+DN6p+A9h (extrusion + solid solution + six-pass drawing + peak ageing at 463 K for 9 h), (d) high magnification image of lath-shaped precipitates. Insets in (a) and (b) are selected area electron diffraction (SAED) patterns, and the inset in (d) is the FFT pattern.

Fig. 9. Formation schemes of precipitates in GNP/Al composites processed by (a) ED+Q (extrusion + solid solution), (b) ED+Q+DN6p (extrusion + solid solution + six-pass drawing) and (c) ED+Q+DN6p+A (extrusion + solid solution + six-pass drawing + ageing).

Fig. 10. Tensile curves of 2024Al alloys and 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites. The alloys and composites are processed by extrusion (ED-2024Al and ED-GNP/2024Al) and extrusion + solid solution + six-pass drawing + peak ageing (ED+Q+DN6p+A12h-2024Al and ED+Q+DN6p+A9h-GNP/2024Al).

Table 2. Elastic modulus (E), yield strength (YS), ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and fracture elongation (δ) of 2024Al alloys and 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites after extrusion (ED) and extrusion + solid solution + six-pass drawing + peak ageing (ED+Q+DN6p+A12h-2024Al and ED+Q+DN6p+A9h-GNP/2024Al).

Sample	E (GPa)	YS (MPa)	UTS (MPa)	δ (%)
ED_-2024Al	83 ± 1.0	190 ± 5	326 ± 4	12.1 ± 2
ED_-GNP/2024Al	87 ± 1.5	313 ± 6	405 ± 5	5.1 ± 1.5
ED+Q+DN_6p+A_12h-2024Al	85 ± 2.0	303 ± 4	397 ± 5	4.5 ± 0.9
ED+Q+DN_6p+A_{9h-GNP/2024Al}	99 ± 1.0	482 ± 3	571 ± 5	4.6 ± 0.4

Fig. 11. TEM images showing microstructure evolution under in-situ TEM tensile test process for 5.0 vol.% GNP/2024Al composites underwent extrusion + solid solution + six-pass drawing + peak ageing (ED+Q+DN6p+A9h). The images were recorded at the same position at various straining stages: (a) and (b) 20 steps; (c) and (d) 40 steps; (e) and (f) 50 steps; (g) and (h) 60 steps. (b), (d), (f) and (h) are high magnification micrographs of (a), (c), (e) and (g), respectively.

Fig. 12. Comparison of strength-ductility of different content graphene reinforced Al composites produced by various techniques. Hot pressing details include ball milling + spark plasma sintering (SPS) [40,53] and hot pressing [51], molecular level mixing (MLM) [35] and flake powder assembly [43] + SPS, wet mixing + vacuum hot pressing [46] and SPS [50], stir die casting [41] + electrostatic self-assembly [54] + hot pressing. The extrusion details include ball milling + SPS [39] and hot pressing [57] + hot extrusion, ball milling + cold pressing + hot extrusion [13,44,45] + annealing [55], flake powder assembly + pressing + hot extrusion + T4 (500 °C for 1 h + ageing 96 h) [34], ball milling + pressure infiltration + hot extrusion [9,47,49], wet mixing + heat isostatic pressure + hot extrusion + solid solution (495 °C for 0.5 h + water quenching) [37], wet mixing [59] and flake powder assembly [60] + cold pressing + hot extrusion, shift-speed ball milling + vacuum hot pressing + hot extrusion [42,48]. The rolling details include flake powder assembly + SPS [4] and hot pressing [8,52,56] + rolling, ball milling + rolling [11,12]. The cold drawing processes include ball milling + cold pressing + hot extrusion + cold drawing (CD) [38]. The flake powder thixoforming (FPT) process includes flake assembly + hot pressing + thixoforming [10]. The friction stir processing (FSP) process includes wet mixing + hot pressing + multiple friction stir process [36]. The high-pressure torsion (HPT) process includes ball milling + cold pressing + high pressure torsion processing [58].

Table 3. Composition of graphene reinforced aluminum composites produced by various techniques.

Composite ingredients	Refs.	Composite ingredients	Refs.
0.40 vol.% graphene ^b/pure Al	[37]	1.0 vol.% graphene ^a/pure Al	[38]
0.67 vol.% graphene ^b/Al-Cu alloy	[59]	0.5 vol.% graphene ^b/Al-Cu alloy	[46]
0.40 vol.% graphene ^a/pure Al	[60]	1.3 vol.% graphene ^a/2009Al alloy	[36]
1.3 vol.% graphene ^c/pure Al	[55]	0.7 vol.% graphene ^a/pure Al	[47]
0.5 vol.% graphene ^d/2024Al alloy	[11]	1.3 vol.% graphene ^a/pure Al	[43]
0.67 vol.% graphene ^e/pure Al	[8]	2.0 vol.% graphene ^b/pure Al	[44]
0.7 vol.% graphene ^d/pure Al	[12]	1.0 vol.% Cu-graphene ^a/pure Al	[45]
3.0 vol.% graphene ^e/pure Al	[56]	1.0 vol.% graphene ^a/pure Al	[39]
1.3 vol.% graphene ^a/pure Al	[57]	1.3 vol.% Cu-graphene ^a/pure Al	[13]
0.67 vol.% graphene ^d/pure Al	[58]	0.5 vol.% graphene ^e/2024Al alloy	[10]
0.67 vol.% graphene ^e/pure Al	[54]	0.3 vol.% graphene ^a/pure Al	[40]
6.7 vol.% graphene ^a/pure Al	[50]	1.0 vol.% graphene ^e/Al-Si alloy	[41]
1.3 vol.% graphene ^b/pure Al	[51]	0.3 vol.% graphene ^b/Al-Cu alloy	[34]
0.2 vol.% graphene ^e/ pure Al	[52]	0.67 vol.% graphene ^a/pure Al	[4]
1.3 vol.% graphene ^c/pure Al	[53]	0.78 vol.% graphene ^a/6061Al alloy	[9]
0.5 vol.% graphene ^b/pure Al	[48]	0.5 vol.% graphene ^b/pure Al	[42]
2.0 vol.% graphene ^a/5083 Al alloy	[49]	1.3 vol.% graphene ^e/Al-Cu alloy	[35]

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