Surface Modification of Mild Steel by Carbon Nanotubes Reinforcement under Electron Beam Melting

TL;DR

This study enhances mild steel's surface properties by embedding carbon nanotubes using electron beam melting, resulting in reduced stress, strain, and grain size, and increased hardness.

Contribution

It introduces a novel surface modification technique for mild steel using electron beam melting to embed carbon nanotubes, improving mechanical properties.

Findings

Stress and strain reduced threefold

Crystalline size decreased by 22%

Hardness increased by 30%

Abstract

Structural properties of Mild Steel have been modified by embedding Carbon Nanotubes in its matrix. The embedment was done by forming a composite at the surface of MS with the help of a thermionic electron beam source at an acceleration potential of 5 kV and beam current of 45 mA. Structural analysis was carried out by X-Ray Diffraction(XRD). Stress and strain were reduced about three times while the crystalline size was reduced to 22% after embedment of Carbon Nanotubes. Surface morphology was observed by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and composition was examined by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy(EDX) respectively. Average grain size of the modified sample was reduced from 1.94 micrometre to 720 nm whereas the hardness was increased to 30% for as received samples.