Fabrication and Characterization of Carbon Nanotube/Cu Nanocomposites by Molecular Level Mixing Process

분자수준 혼합공정을 이용한 탄소나노튜브/Cu 나노복합재료의 제조 및 특성평가

Since the first discovery of carbon nanotube (CNT) in 1991, a window to new technological areas has been opened. One of the emerging applications of CNTs is the reinforcement of composite materials to overcome the performance limits of conventional materials. However, because of the difficulties in distributing CNTs homogeneously in metal or ceramic matrix by means of traditional composite processes, it has been doubted whether CNTs can really reinforce metals or ceramics. In this study, CNT reinforced Cu matrix nanocomposite is fabricated by a novel fabrication process named molecular level mixing process. This process produces CNT/Cu composite powders whereby the CNTs are homogeneously implanted within Cu powders. The CNT/Cu nanocomposite, consolidated by spark plasma sintering of CNT/Cu composite powders, shows to be 3 times higher strength and 2 times higher Young’s modulus than Cu matrix. This extra-ordinary strengthening effect of carbon nanotubes in metal is higher than that of any other reinforcement ever used for metal matrix composites.