Effect of GNPs on microstructures and mechanical properties of GNPs/Al-Cu composites with different heat treatment status

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2021.02.045

Abstract

Abstract:

Microstructural and mechanical behavior of heat treatable Al-4.6Cu binary alloy reinforced with graphene nanoplates (GNPs) in different heat treatment status were investigated in this paper. The addition of GNPs significantly enhanced the yield strength and tensile strength of Al-Cu alloy regardless of the heat-treatment conditions. It was also found that GNPs accelerated the formation of precipitates, leading to a greatly shortened aging time for GNPs/Al-4.6Cu composite to reach the peak hardness. However, aging treatment enhanced the strength of GNPs/Al-Cu composite very little, which could be explained by the interaction between GNPs, precipitates and dislocations. This work inspires us that the heat treatment process of aluminum alloy matrix composites should be designed independently with the matrix in quest of an optimum performance.

Key words: Metal matrix composites, Al-Cu alloy, Graphene nanoplates, Heat treatment

Tielong Han, Fucheng Wang, Jiajun Li, Chunnian He, Naiqin Zhao. Effect of GNPs on microstructures and mechanical properties of GNPs/Al-Cu composites with different heat treatment status[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2021, 92: 1-10.

Figures/Tables 12

Table 1 Theoretical components of Al-Cu alloy and GNPs/Al-Cu composite (wt%).

Sample	GNPs	Cu	Al
Al-Cu alloy	0	4.6	95.4
GNPs/Al-Cu	1.4	4.6	94.0

Fig. 1. Schematic illustration of the fabrication process of GNPs/Al-Cu composites. (A colour version of this figure can be viewed online.).

Fig. 2. SEM images and the corresponding element distribution of (a, c) Al-Cu alloy powders and (b, d) GNPs/Al-Cu powders. (A colour version of this figure can be viewed online.).

Fig. 3. STEM bright field image of the extruded (a) Al-Cu alloy and (b) GNPs/Al-Cu composite. (c, d) Typical TEM images of the extruded GNPs/Al-Cu bulk composite, some Al4C3 rods are found at the GNPs/Al interface. (A colour version of this figure can be viewed online.).

Fig. 4. STEM bright field image of the solution treated (a) Al-Cu alloy and (b) GNPs/Al-Cu composite, in which the big Al2Cu phase was absence. (c, d) Typical TEM images of the solution treated GNPs/Al-Cu bulk composite, a few Al4C3 rods could be found as indicated by the red arrows and GNPs still tightly bond with the matrix. (A colour version of this figure can be viewed online.).

Fig. 5. Change of the Vickers hardness with ageing time. (A colour version of this figure can be viewed online.).

Fig. 6. (a, b) STEM bright field images and (c-e) TEM images of the peak aged Al-Cu alloy, (f) statistic graph of the precipitate length in the peak aged Al-Cu alloy measured from the STEM images. (A colour version of this figure can be viewed online.).

Fig. 7. (a, b) STEM bright field images and (c-e) TEM images of the peak aged GNPs/Al-Cu composite, (f) statistic graph of the precipitate length in the peak aged GNPs/Al-Cu composite measured from the STEM images. (A colour version of this figure can be viewed online.).

Fig. 8. HAADF-STEM images of the precipitates in the peak aged GNPs/Al-Cu composite.

Fig. 9. TEM images of the interface in the peak aged GNPs/Al-Cu composite, showing no extra precipitates near GNPs. (A colour version of this figure can be viewed online.).

Fig. 10. Typical tensile strain-stress curves of (a) extruded, (b) solution treated and (c) peak aged Al-Cu alloy and GNPs/Al-Cu composite. (d) Histogram statistics of the mechanical properties of Al-Cu alloy and GNPs/Al-Cu composite.

Table 2 Tensile properties of Al-Cu alloy and GNPs/Al-Cu composite in different states.

Materials	Yield strength/MPa	Tensile strength/MPa	Fracture elongation/%
Extruded A	230	350	15.0
Extruded C	352	425	10.7
Solution treated A	268	430	17.0
Solution treated C	430	545	11.2
Peak aged A	360	478	18.8
Peak aged C	458	568	8.5

References 47

[1]	X. Zhang, N. Zhao, C. He, Prog. Mater. Sci. 113 (2020) 100672. DOI URL
[2]	A. Nieto, A. Bisht, D. Lahiri, C. Zhang, A. Agarwal, Int. Mater. Rev. 62 (2017) 241-302. DOI URL
[3]	X. Zhang, Y. Xu, M. Wang, E. Liu, N. Zhao, C. Shi, D. Lin, F. Zhu, C. He, Nat. Comm. 11 (1) (2020) 2775. DOI URL
[4]	J. Hwang, T. Yoon, S.H. Jin, J. Lee, T. Kim, S.H. Hong, S. Jeon, Adv. Mater. 25 (2013) 6724-6729. DOI URL
[5]	H.M.I. Jaim, R.A. Isaacs, S.N. Rashkeev, M. Kuklja, D.P. Cole, M.C. LeMieux, I. Ja-siuk, S. Nilufar, L.G. Salamanca-Riba, Carbon 107 (2016) 56-66. DOI URL
[6]	X. Du, W. Du, Z. Wang, K. Liu, S. Li, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 711 (2018) 633-642. DOI URL
[7]	H. Yue, L. Yao, X. Gao, S. Zhang, E. Guo, H. Zhang, X. Lin, B. Wang, J. Alloys Compd. 691 (2017) 755-762. DOI URL
[8]	Z. Yu, W. Yang, C. Zhou, N. Zhang, Z. Chao, H. Liu, Y. Cao, Y. Sun, P. Shao, G. Wu, Carbon 141 (2019) 25-39. DOI URL
[9]	Y. Jiang, Z. Tan, R. Xu, G. Fan, D. Xiong, Q. Guo, Y. Su, Z. Li, D. Zhang, Compos. Part A Appl. 111 (2018) 73-82. DOI URL
[10]	X. Zhang, C. Shi, E. Liu, N. Zhao, C. He, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 10 (2018) 37586-37601. DOI URL
[11]	T. Han, E. Liu, J. Li, N. Zhao, C. He, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 46 (2020) 21-32. DOI URL
[12]	W. Zhou, P. Mikulova, Y. Fan, K. Kikuchi, N. Nomura, A. Kawasaki, Compos. Part B Eng. 167 (2019) 93-99. DOI URL
[13]	Y. Jiang, R. Xu, Z. Tan, G. Ji, G. Fan, Z. Li, D. Xiong, Q. Guo, Z. Li, D. Zhang, Carbon 146 (2019) 17-27. DOI URL
[14]	S.E. Shin, H.J. Choi, J.H. Shin, D.H. Bae, Carbon 82 (2015) 143-151. DOI URL
[15]	M. Yang, L. Weng, H. Zhu, T. Fan, D. Zhang, Carbon 118 (2017) 250-260. DOI URL
[16]	S.E. Shin, D.H. Bae, Compos. Part A Appl. 78 (2015) 42-47. DOI URL
[17]	P. Shao, W. Yang, Q. Zhang, Q. Meng, X. Tan, Z. Xiu, J. Qiao, Z. Yu, G. Wu, Com-pos. Part A Appl. 109 (2018) 151-162.
[18]	S. Prabhakaran, A. Xavior, S. Kalainathan, D. Lin, P. Shukla, V.K. Vasudevan, Mater. Today Commun. 16 (2018) 81-89.
[19]	G. Liu, N. Zhao, C. Shi, E. Liu, F. He, L. Ma, Q. Li, J. Li, C. He, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 699 (2017) 185-193. DOI URL
[20]	M. Khoshghadam-Pireyousefan, R. Rahmanifard, L. Orovcik, P. Švec, V. Klemm, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 772 (2020) 138820. DOI URL
[21]	S. Mozammil, J. Karloopia, R. Verma, P.K. Jha, J. Alloys Compd. 793 (2019) 454-466. DOI URL
[22]	P. Xiao, Y. Gao, X. Yang, F. Xu, C. Yang, B. Li, Y. Li, Z. Liu, Q. Zheng, J. Alloys Compd. 764 (2018) 96-106. DOI URL
[23]	K. Zhao, Z.Y. Liu, B.L. Xiao, D.R. Ni, Z.Y. Ma, Acta Metall. Sin. (Engl. Lett.) 31 (2018) 134-142. DOI URL
[24]	X.J. Wang, X.S. Hu, W.Q. Liu, J.F. Du, K. Wu, Y.D. Huang, M.Y. Zheng, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 682 (2017) 491-500. DOI URL
[25]	J. Shang, L. Ke, F. Liu, F. Lv, L. Xing, J. Alloy Compd. 797 (2019) 1240-1248. DOI URL
[26]	S.M. Abarghouie, S.S. Reihani, Mater. Des. 31 (2010) 2368-2374. DOI URL
[27]	S. Pal, R. Mitra, V.V. Bhanuprasad, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 480 (2008) 496-505. DOI URL
[28]	D.H. Nam, Y.K. Kim, S.I. Cha, S.H. Hong, Carbon 50 (2012) 4809-4814. DOI URL
[29]	K. Kondoh, H. Fukuda, J. Umeda, H. Imai, B. Fugetsu, Carbon 72 (2014) 15-21. DOI URL
[30]	Z. Shen, Q. Ding, C. Liu, J. Wang, H. Tian, J. Li, Z. Zhang, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 33 (2017) 1159-1164.
[31]	Y. Yang, L. Zhan, C. Liu, X. Wang, Q. Wang, Z. Tang, G. Li, M. Huang, Z. Hu, Int. J. Plast. 127 (2019) 102646. DOI URL
[32]	L. Zhou, C.L. Wu, P. Xie, F.J. Niu, W.Q. Ming, K. Du, J.H. Chen, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 75 (2021) 126-138. DOI
[33]	P. Ma, C. Liu, Z. Ma, L. Zhan, M. Huang, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 35 (2019) 885-890. DOI URL
[34]	T. Han, J. Li, N. Zhao, C. He, Carbon 159 (2020) 311-323. DOI URL
[35]	H. Zhang, C. Xu, W. Xiao, K. Ameyama, C. Ma, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 658 (2016) 8-15. DOI URL
[36]	Q. Zhang, B.L. Xiao, Z.Y. Liu, Z.Y. Ma, J. Mater. Sci. 46 (2011) 6783-6793. DOI URL
[37]	W. Zhou, T. Yamaguchi, K. Kikuchi, N. Nomura, A. Kawasaki, Acta Mater. 125 (2017) 369-376. DOI URL
[38]	S.E. Shin, Y.J. Ko, D.H. Bae, Compos. Part B Eng. 106 (2016) 66-73. DOI URL
[39]	Y. Chen, Z. Liu, S. Bai, J. Zhao, G. Liu, J. Mater. Eng. Perform. 28 (2019) 3590-3599. DOI
[40]	J.F. Nie, B.C. Muddle, Acta Mater. 56 (2008) 3490-3501. DOI URL
[41]	Z.Y. Liu, B.L. Xiao, W.G. Wang, Z.Y. Ma, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 30 (2014) 649-655. DOI
[42]	W. Zhou, C. Chen, P. Mikulova, M. Dong, Y. Fan, K. Kikuchi, N. Nomura, A. Kawasaki, J. Alloy Compd. 792 (2019) 988-993. DOI URL
[43]	S. Suresh, T. Christman, Y. Sugimura, Scr. Metall. 23 (1989) 1599-1602. DOI URL
[44]	H. Yang, T. Gao, H. Zhang, J. Nie, X. Liu, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 35 (2019) 374-382. DOI URL
[45]	A. Bhadauria, L.K. Singh, T. Laha, Mater. Sci. Eng. A 749 (2019) 14-26. DOI URL
[46]	G. Liu, G.J. Zhang, F. Jiang, X.D. Ding, Y.J. Sun, J. Sun, E. Ma, Nat. Mater. 12 (2013) 344-350. DOI PMID
[47]	N. Tahreen, D.F. Zhang, F.S. Pan, X.J. Jiang, D.Y. Li, D.L. Chen, J. Mater. Sci. Tech-nol. 34 (2018) 1110-1118.