Investigation of Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Graphene Nanoplatelets Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composites Fabricated by Solidification Processing
AbstractAluminum alloys have been widely employed in the automotive and aerospace industries due to their low density, high specific strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance [1]. Despite their improved mechanical properties, they have relatively low wear resistance. Therefore, their tribological properties need to be developed. One way to enhance the tribological properties is the composite approach, in which materials are reinforced with harder constituents. Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) consisting of a few graphene layers with a thickness of less than 100 nm are potential candidate for reinforcing aluminum matrices as well as a wide range of materials due to their extraordinary mechanical and physical properties. In the literature [2-3], in order to improve the tribological performance of aluminum and its alloys, GNPs were commonly incorporated into the metal matrices by means of powder metallurgy. However, there is limited research based on the fabrication of GNP reinforced aluminum matrix nanocomposites (AMNCs) by solidification processes.