The focus of the present study is to simulate the indentation type contact behaviour of single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) based nanocomposite. The contact system consists of a deformable Aluminium matrix, reinforced with a group of SWCNTs, and a conical indenter which is assumed as rigid. Downward and upward displacement is imparted on the conical indenter in order to simulate the loading and unloading phases of the contact. The model has been developed using APDL code on the ANSYS platform. Adequacy and validity of the model has been established by comparison with results from already published papers available in literature and the matching between the two sets of results is found to be excellent. In terms of results, contact forces, contact area, contact pressure and deformation behaviour are extracted from the analysis with varying wall thickness of CNTs. Detailed analysis of the obtained results has been carried out and it is found that sink in and pile up (in one particular scenario) behaviour is exhibited. It is also found that due to high deformation of the tubes at high indentation depth, there is material flow towards the axis of symmetry and creation of small elastic zones in the matrix material.
GuptaMWongWLE. Magnesium-based nanocomposites: lightweight materials of the future. Mater Charact2015; 105: 30–46.
2.
ZhangXHuNChenT, et al. Lubrication properties of silver complexes under the high temperature abrupt operating conditions. Ind Lubrication Tribol2022; 74(2): 186–196.
3.
KulekciMK. Magnesium and its alloys applications in automotive industry. Int J Adv Manuf Technol2008; 39(9–10): 851–865.
DeyAPandeyKM. Magnesium metal matrix composites-a review. Rev Adv Mater Sci2015; 42(1): 58–67.
6.
NieKBDengKKWangXJ, et al. Influence of SiC nanoparticles addition on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of AZ91 alloy during isothermal multidirectional forging. Mater Charact2017; 124: 14–24.
7.
NarayanasamyPSelvakumarNBalasundarP. Effect of weight percentage of TiC on their tribological properties of magnesium composites. Mater Today Proc2018; 5(2): 6570–6578.
8.
AydinFSunYAhlatciH, et al. Investigation of microstructure, mechanical and wear behaviour of B4C particulate reinforced magnesium matrix composites by powder metallurgy. Trans Indian Ins Metals2018; 71(4): 873–882.
9.
NguyenQBGuptaM. Increasing significantly the failure strain and work of fracture of solidification processed AZ31B using nano-Al2O3 particulates. J Alloys Comp2008; 459(1–2): 244–250.
10.
PonappaKAravindanSRaoPV. Influence of Y2O3 particles on mechanical properties of magnesium and magnesium alloy (AZ91D). J Compos Mater2013; 47(10): 1231–1239.
11.
TunKSJayaramanavarPNguyenQB, et al. Investigation into tensile and compressive responses of Mg–ZnO composites. Mater Sci Technol2012; 28(5): 582–588.
12.
MallickATunKSGuptaM. Deformation behaviour of Mg/Y2O3 nanocomposite at elevated temperatures. Mater Sci Eng A2012; 551: 222–230.
13.
GopalPMSoorya PrakashKNagarajaS, et al. Effect of weight fraction and particle size of CRT glass on the tribological behaviour of Mg-CRT-BN hybrid composites. Tribol Int2017; 116: 338–350.
14.
LauAKTHuiD. The revolutionary creation of new advanced materials—carbon nanotube composites. Compos B Eng2002; 33(4): 263–277.
15.
ThostensonETRenZChouTW. Advances in the science and technology of carbon nanotubes and their composites: a review. Compos Sci Technol2001; 61(13): 1899–1912.
16.
Al-SalehMHSundararajU. A review of vapor grown carbon nanofiber/polymer conductive composites. Carbon N Y2009; 47(1): 2–22.
17.
De VolderMFTawfickSHBaughmanRH, et al. Carbon nanotubes: present and future commercial applications. Science2013; 339(6119): 535–539.
18.
TangLCWanYJPengK, et al. Fracture toughness and electrical conductivity of epoxy composites filled with carbon nanotubes and spherical particles. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf2013; 45: 95–101.
19.
JayaramanJKuppusamyRRaoH. Investigation on wear properties of AZ31-MWCNT nanocomposites fabricated through mechanical alloying and powder metallurgy. Sci Eng Compos Mater2016; 23(1): 61–66.
20.
SelvamaniSTPremkumarSVigneshwarM, et al. Influence of carbon nano tubes on mechanical, metallurgical and tribological behavior of magnesium nanocomposites. J Magnes Alloys2017; 5(3): 326–335.
21.
ZhouMQuXRenL, et al. The effects of carbon nanotubes on the mechanical and wear properties of AZ31 alloy. Materials2017; 10(12): 1385.
22.
KirtaniaSChakrabortyD. Analysis of carbon nanotube-reinforced alumina matrix nanocomposites with a broken fiber. J Reinforced Plast Compos2014; 33(4): 389–398.
23.
NahasMN. Chapter 8: Finite element modeling of carbon nanotubes and their composites. In: MusaSM (ed.) Computational finite element methods in nanotechnology. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2012, pp.291–310.
24.
LiuYJChenXL. Evaluations of the effective material properties of carbon nanotube-based composites using a nanoscale representative volume element. Mech Mater2003; 35(1-2): 69–81.
25.
ChenXLLiuYJ. Square representative volume elements for evaluating the effective material properties of carbon nanotube-based composites. Comput Mater Sci2004; 29(1): 1–11.
26.
NahasMNAlzahraniMA. Finite element analysis of the effective mechanical properties of a nano scale cubic element of epoxy reinforced with monolayer graphene. J Comput Theor Nanosci2012; 9(5): 707–710.
27.
ZuberiMJSEsatV. Investigating the mechanical properties of single walled carbon nanotube reinforced epoxy composite through finite element modelling. Compos B Eng2015; 71: 1–9.
28.
ShariyatMSarviZAsgariM. A unit-cell-based three-dimensional molecular mechanics analysis for buckling load, effective elasticity and Poisson’s ratio determination of the nanosheets. Mol Simul2016; 42(5): 353–369.
29.
AsgariM. Material distribution optimization of 2D heterogeneous cylinder under thermo-mechanical loading. Struct Eng Mech2015; 53(4): 703–723.
30.
LustiHRGusevAA. Finite element predictions for the thermoelastic properties of nanotube reinforced polymers. Model Simul Mater Sci Eng2004; 12(3): S107–S119.
31.
ShokriehMMRafieeR. A review of the mechanical properties of isolated carbon nanotubes and carbon nanotube composites. Mech Compos Mater2010; 46(2): 155–172.
32.
RadhamaniAVLauHCRamakrishnaS. CNT-reinforced metal and steel nanocomposites: A comprehensive assessment of progress and future directions. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf2018; 114: 170–187.
33.
KumarASharmaKDixitAR. A review on the mechanical properties of polymer composites reinforced by carbon nanotubes and graphene. Carbon Lett2021; 31(2): 149–165.
34.
AgarwalABakshiSRLahiriD. Carbon nanotubes reinforced metal matrix composites. 2nd ed.New York, NY: Taylor & Francis, 2011.
35.
KuzumakiTMiyazawaKIchinoseH, et al. Processing of carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum composite. J Mater Res1998; 13(9): 2445–2449.
36.
SabaFZhangFSajjadiSA, et al. Pulsed current field assisted surface modification of carbon nanotubes with nanocrystalline titanium carbide. Carbon N Y2016; 101: 261–271.
37.
CanakciAArslanFVarolT. Physical and mechanical properties of stir-casting processed AA2024/B4Cp composites. Sci Eng Compos Mater2014; 21(4): 505–515.
38.
CanakciAVarolT. Microstructure and properties of AA7075/Al–SiC composites fabricated using powder metallurgy and hot pressing. Powder Technol2014; 268: 72–79.
39.
KwonHEstiliMTakagiK, et al. Combination of hot extrusion and spark plasma sintering for producing carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum matrix composites. Carbon N Y2009; 47(3): 570–577.
40.
IsazaCSierraGMezaJM. A novel technique for production of metal matrix composites reinforced with carbon nanotubes. J Manuf Sci Eng2016; 138(2): 024501-1-5.
41.
EsawiAMKMorsiKSayedA, et al. Effect of carbon nanotube (CNT) content on the mechanical properties of CNT-reinforced aluminium composites. Compos Sci Technol2010; 70(16): 2237–2241.
42.
ZhanGDKuntzJDWanJ, et al. Single-wall carbon nanotubes as attractive toughening agents in alumina-based nanocomposites. Nat Mater2003; 2(1): 38–42.
43.
ZhangTKumariLDuGH, et al. Mechanical properties of carbon nanotube–alumina nanocomposites synthesized by chemical vapor deposition and spark plasma sintering. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manuf2009; 40(1): 86–93.
44.
KhannaVKumarVBansalSA. Mechanical properties of aluminium-graphene/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) metal matrix composites: advancement, opportunities and perspective. Mater Res Bull2021; 138: 111224.
45.
NarasimhanR. Analysis of indentation of pressure sensitive plastic solids using the expanding cavity model. Mech Mater2004; 36(7): 633–645.
KathavateVSPraveen KumarBSinghI, et al. Effect of sub and above-curie temperature annealing on the nanomechanical properties of PMN-PT piezoceramics. Ceram Int2020; 46(8): 12876–12883.
48.
Eswar PrasadKRameshKT. Hardness and mechanical anisotropy of hexagonal SiC single crystal polytypes. J Alloys Comp2019; 770: 158–165.
49.
KathavateVSSonagaraHKumarBP, et al. Direct observations of changes in ferroelectric domain configurations around the indentation and ahead of the crack front in soft-doped PZT. Materialia2021; 19: 101191.
50.
KathavateVSSonagaraHKumarBP, et al. Role of domain configurations on the mechanistic modelling of indentation size effects (ISE) in nanohardness of hard and soft PZT piezoceramics. Int J Adv Eng Sci Appl Math2021; 13: 63–78.
51.
KathavateVSKumarPBSinghI, et al. Nanoindentation response of PZT and NKN-NT piezoceramics. J Couple Syst Multiscale Dyn2018; 6(4): 291–299.
52.
RamamurtyUJangJI. Nanoindentation for probing the mechanical behavior of molecular crystals–a review of the technique and how to use it. CrystEngComm2014; 16(1): 12–23.
53.
JacksonRLKogutL. A comparison of flattening and indentation approaches for contact mechanics modeling of single asperity contacts. J Tribol2006; 128(1): 209–212.
54.
HardyCBaronetCNTordionGV. The elasto-plastic indentation of a half-space by a rigid sphere. Int J Numer Methods Eng1971; 3(4): 451–462.
55.
JohnsonKL. Contact mechanics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1987.
56.
SongZKomvopoulosK. Elastic–plastic spherical indentation: deformation regimes, evolution of plasticity, and hardening effect. Mech Mater2013; 61: 91–100.
57.
SongZKomvopoulosK. An elastic–plastic analysis of spherical indentation: constitutive equations for single-indentation unloading and development of plasticity due to repeated indentation. Mech Mater2014; 76: 93–101.
58.
FollansbeePSSinclairGB. Quasi-static normal indentation of an elasto-plastic half-space by a rigid sphere—I. Int J Solids Struct1984; 20(1): 81–91.
59.
SinclairGBFollansbeePSJohnsonKL. Quasi-static normal indentation of an elasto-plastic half-space by a rigid sphere—ii. Results. Int J Solids Struct1985; 21(8): 865–888.
60.
TaborD. The hardness of metals. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1951.
61.
KomvopoulosKYeN. Three-dimensional contact analysis of elastic-plastic layered media with fractal surface topographies. J Tribol2001; 123(3): 632–640.
62.
KogutLKomvopoulosK. Analysis of the spherical indentation cycle for elastic–perfectly plastic solids. J Mater Res2004; 19(12): 3641–3653.
63.
ShtaermanIY. Kontaktnaiazadachateoriiuprugosti [Contact problem of theory of elasticity]. Moscow-Leningrad: Gostechizdat, 1949.
64.
BorodichFMKeerLM. Contact problems and depth-sensing nanoindentation for frictionless and frictional boundary conditions. Int J Solids Struct2004; 41(9–10): 2479–2499.
65.
VandammeMUlmFJ. Viscoelastic solutions for conical indentation. Int J Solids Struct2006; 43(10): 3142–3165.
66.
VasilievASVolkovSSBelovAA, et al. Indentation of a hard transversely isotropic functionally graded coating by a conical indenter. Int J Eng Sci2017; 112: 63–75.
67.
JacksonRLGreenI. A finite element study of elasto-plastic hemispherical contact against a rigid flat. J Tribol2005; 127(2): 343–354.
68.
LichinchiMLenardiCHauptJ, et al. Simulation of Berkovich nanoindentation experiments on thin films using finite element method. Thin Solid Films1998; 312(1–2): 240–248.
69.
WeiCYangJF. A finite element study on the hardness of carbon nanotubesdoped diamond-like carbon film. J Mater Res2012; 27(1): 330–338.
70.
QinJHuangYXiaoJ, et al. The equivalence of axisymmetric indentation model for three-dimensional indentation hardness. J Mater Res2009; 24(3): 776–783.
71.
ShiZFengXHuangY, et al. The equivalent axisymmetric model for Berkovich indenters in power-law hardening materials. Int J Plast2010; 26(1): 141–148.
72.
HalladSABanapurmathNRPatilAY, et al. Studies on the effect of multi-walled carbon nanotube–reinforced polymer-based nano-composites using finite element analysis software tool. Proc IMechE, Part N: J Nanomaterials, Nanoengineering and Nanosystems2016; 230(4): 200–212.
73.
GiannakopoulosAELarssonPL. Analysis of pyramid indentation of pressure-sensitive hard metals and ceramics. Mech Mater1997; 25(1): 1–35.
74.
CarlssonSLarssonPL. On the determination of residual stress and strain fields by sharp indentation testing.: Part I: theoretical and numerical analysis. Acta Mater2001; 49(12): 2179–2191.
NouriNZiaei-RadSAdibiS, et al. Fabrication and mechanical property prediction of carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum nanocomposites. Mater Des2012; 34: 1–14.
77.
WagihAFathyA. Experimental investigation and FE simulation of nanoindentation on Al–Al2O3 nanocomposites. Adv Powder Technol2016; 27(2): 403–410.
78.
CelentanoDJGuelorgetBFrançoisM, et al. Numerical simulation and experimental validation of the microindentation test applied to bulk elastoplastic materials. Model Simul Mater Sci Eng2012; 20(4): 045007.
79.
MoharramiNBullSJ. A comparison of nanoindentation pile-up in bulk materials and thin films. Thin Solid Films2014; 572: 189–199.
80.
TaljatBPharrGM. Development of pile-up during spherical indentation of elastic–plastic solids. Int J Solids Struct2004; 41(14): 3891–3904.
81.
KadinYKligermanYEtsionI. Multiple loading–unloading of an elastic–plastic spherical contact. Int J Solids Struct2006; 43(22–23): 7119–7127.
82.
EtsionIKligermanYKadinY. Unloading of an elastic–plastic loaded spherical contact. Int J Solids Struct2005; 42(13): 3716–3729.
