New magnesium nanocomposites reinforced with copper–graphene nanoplatelet hybrid particles have been prepared through the semipowder metallurgy method. Compared with the monolithic Mg, the Mg–1Cu–xGNPs nanocomposites exhibited higher tensile and compressive strength. In tension, nanocomposites revealed substantial enhancement in elastic modulus, 0.2 yield strength, ultimate tensile strength and failure strain (up to +89, +117, +58 and +96 respectively) compared to monolithic Mg. In compression, the nanocomposites showed the greatest improvement in 0.2 yield strength, and the ultimate compressive strength and failure strain () (up to +34, +59 and +61 respectively), whilst the compressive elastic modulus first increases and then decreases with an increase in the graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) contents. The enhanced strength of the composites is likely to result from strengthening mechanisms invoked by the addition of Cu–GNPs hybrids.
GarcésG, RodríguezM, PérezP and AdevaP: ‘Effect of volume fraction and particle size on the microstructure and plastic deformation of Mg–Y2O3 composites’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2006, A419, 357–364.
2.
NguyenQB and GuptaM: ‘Increasing significantly the failure strain and work of fracture of solidification processed AZ31B using nano-Al2O3 particulates’, J. Alloys Compd, 2008, 459, 244–250.
3.
HuardG, AngersR, KrishnadevMR, TremblayR and DubéD: ‘SiCp/Mg composites made by low-energy mechanical processing’, Can. Metall. Q., 1999, 38, 193–200.
4.
ZhengMY, ZhangWC, WuK and YaoCK: ‘The deformation and fracture behavior of SiCw/AZ91 magnesium matrix composite during in-situ TEM straining’, J. Mater. Sci., 2003, 38, 2647–2654.
5.
HassanSF and GuptaM: ‘Development of ductile magnesium composite materials using titanium as reinforcement’, J. Alloys Compd, 2002, 345, 246–251.
6.
PérezP, GarcésG and AdevaP: ‘Mechanical properties of a Mg–10 (vol.)Ti composite’, Compos. Sci. Technol., 2004, 64, 145–151.
7.
WangHY, JiangQC, LiXL and WangJG: ‘In situ synthesis of TiC/Mg composites in molten magnesium’, Scr. Mater., 2003, 48, 1349–1354.
8.
GohCS, WeiJ, LeeLC and GuptaM: ‘Ductility improvement and fatigue studies in Mg-CNT nanocomposites’, Compos. Sci. Technol., 2008, 68, 1432–1439.
9.
NguyenQB, TunKS, ChanJ, KwokR, KumaJVM and GuptaM: ‘Enhancing strength and hardness of AZ31B through simultaneous addition of nickel and nano-Al2O3 particulates’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2011, A528, 888–894.
10.
TunKS, GuptaM and SrivatsanTS: ‘Investigating influence of hybrid (yttria + copper) nanoparticulate reinforcements on microstructural development and tensile response of magnesium’, Mater. Sci. Technol., 2010, 26, 87–94.
11.
TunKS and GuptaM: ‘Compressive deformation behavior of Mg and Mg/(Y2O3 + Ni) nanocomposites’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2010, A527, 5550–5556.
12.
HabibiMK, HamoudaAMS and GuptaM: ‘Enhancing tensile and compressive strength of magnesium using ball milled Al+CNT reinforcement’, Compos. Sci. Technol., 2012, 72, 290–298.
13.
BalandinAA, GhoshS, BaoW, CalizoI, TeweldebrhanD, MiaoF and LauCN: ‘Superior thermal conductivity of single-layer graphene’, Nano Lett., 2008, 8, 902–907.
14.
BolotinKI, SikesKJ, JiangZ, KlimaM, FudenbergG, HoneJ, KimP and StormerHL: ‘Ultrahigh electron mobility in suspended graphene’, Solid State Commun., 2008, 146, 351–355.
15.
LeeC, WeiX, KysarJW and HoneJ: ‘Measurement of the elastic properties and intrinsic strength of monolayer graphene’, Science, 2008, 321, 385–388.
16.
DemczykBG, WangYM, CumingsJ, HetmanM, HanW, ZettlA and RitchieRO: ‘Direct mechanical measurement of the tensile strength and elastic modulus of multiwalled carbon nanotubes’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2002, A334, 173–178.
17.
FangM, WangK, LuH, YangY and NuttS: ‘Covalent polymer functionalization of graphene nanosheets and mechanical properties of composites’, J. Mater. Chem., 2009, 19, 7098–7105.
18.
LiangJ, HuangY, ZhangL, WangY, MaY, GuoT and ChenY: ‘Molecular-level dispersion of graphene into poly(vinyl alcohol) and effective reinforcement of their nanocomposites’, Adv. Funct. Mater., 2009, 19, 2297–2302.
19.
JiangL, ShenX.-P, WuJ.-L and ShenK.-C: ‘Preparation and characterization of graphene/poly(vinyl alcohol) nanocomposites’, J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2010, 118, 275–279.
20.
RashadM, PanF, TangA, LuY, AsifM, HussainS, SheJ, GouJ and MaoJ: ‘Effect of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) addition on strength and ductility of magnesium-titanium alloys’, J. Magn. Alloy, 2013, 1, 242–248.
21.
RashadM, PanF, TangAitao, AsifM, SheJ, GouJ, MaoJ and HuH: ‘Development of magnesium-graphene nanoplatelets composite’, J. Compos. Mater., 2014, DOI: 10.1177/0021998313518360.
22.
SankaranarayananS, JayalakshmiS and GuptaM: ‘Effect of individual and combined addition of micro/nano-sized metallic elements on the microstructure and mechanical properties of pure Mg’, Mater. Des., 2012, 37, 274–284.
23.
‘Binary alloy phase diagrams second edition plus updates’, Version 1.0; 1996, Materials Park, OH, ASM International.
24.
WongWLE and GuptaM: ‘Development of Mg/Cu nanocomposites using microwave assisted rapid sintering’, Compos. Sci. Technol., 2007, 67, 1541–1552.
UgandharS, GuptaM and SinhaSK: ‘Enhancing strength and ductility of Mg/SiC composites using recrystallization heat treatment’, Compos. Struct., 2006, 72, 266–272.
27.
GuptaM: ‘Magnesium, magnesium alloys, and magnesium composites’, 257; 2011, New York, Wiley.
28.
OrowanEZ: ‘The crystal plasticity: iii. On the mechanism of the sliding process’, Nucl. Phys., 1934, 89.
29.
HanBQ and DunandDC: ‘Microstructure and mechanical properties of magnesium containing high volume fractions of yttria dispersoids’, Mater. Sci. Eng. A, 2000, A277, 297–304.
ClyneTW: ‘An introduction to metal matrix composites’; 1995, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
32.
TunK, TungalaV, NguyenQ, ChanJ, KwokR, KumaJ and GuptaM: ‘Enhancing tensile and compressive strengths of magnesium using nanosize (Al2O3 + Cu) hybrid reinforcements’, J. Compos. Mater., 2012, 46, 1879–1887.
33.
SankaranarayananS, JayalakshmiS and GuptaM: ‘Effect of ball milling the hybrid reinforcements on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Mg–(Ti+n-Al2O3) composites’, J. Alloys Compd, 2011, 509, 7229–7237.
34.
ShenJ, YinW, WeiQ, LiY, LiuJ and AnL: ‘Effect of ceramic nanoparticle reinforcements on the quasistatic and dynamic mechanical properties of magnesium-based metal matrix composites’, J. Mater. Res., 2013, 28, 1835–1852.
35.
RashadM, PanF, TangA, AsifM and AamirM: ‘Synergetic effect of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MW-CNTs) on mechanical properties of pure magnesium’, J. Alloys Compd, 2014, 603, 111–118.
36.
RashadM, PanF, TangA and AsifM: ‘Effect of graphene nanoplatelets addition on mechanical properties of pure aluminum using semi-powder method’, Prog. Nat. Sci., 2014, 24, 101–108.
37.
RashadM, PanF, AsifM and TangA: ‘Powder metallurgy of Mg–1Al–1Sn alloy reinforced with low content of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs’, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 2014, 20, 4250–4255.
38.
RashadM, PanF, AsifMuhammad, HussainS and SaleemM: ‘Improving properties of Mg with Al–Cu additions’, Mater. Charact., 2014, 95, 140–147.
39.
RashadM, PanF, TangA and AsifM: ‘Improved strength and ductility of magnesium with addition of aluminum and graphene nanoplatelets(Al+GNPs) using semi powder metallurgy method’, J. Ind. Eng. Chem., 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jiec.2014.08.024.
