Structure and Strength of Iron-Copper-Carbon Nanotube Nanocomposites

Abstract

Nanocomposite materials of the Fe-Cu system with/without small addition of carbon nanotubes have been synthesized by mechanochemical activation of elemental Fe and Cu powders in a high-energy planetary ball mill and have been examined by the X-ray diffraction method, SEM and the thermopower methods; the tensile strength of the materials obtained has been estimated. The metastable (Fe, Cu) supersaturated solid solution is formed in the Fe-Cu nanocomposites during milling process. The coherent scattering block size of the materials obtained is decreased with increase of milling time. The duration of mechanochemical activation affects the physical properties of nanocomposites studied. Addition of a small amount of nanotubes into Fe-Cu charge results in a significant increase of strength of the Fe-Cu (4:1) + CNT nanocomposite materials (NCMs) obtained.