Strengthening of copper by carbon nanotubes

TL;DR

This study explores how adding a small amount of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) to copper alloy improves its mechanical properties without altering its phase composition, using various testing methods.

Contribution

It demonstrates that 0.01wt.% MWCNT addition enhances copper's strength through microstructural changes, without affecting phase composition.

Findings

Yield and tensile strengths increased after MWCNT addition

Microstructural changes contributed to strength enhancement

Phase composition remained unchanged

Abstract

The influence of a modifier based on multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) is investigated using C11000 copper alloy. The influence of the modifier addition into the melt was investigated using tensile test, hardness measurements, X-ray diffraction method and microstructural investigations. It was evaluated that the yield and tensile strengths of the metal increased due to the microstructural changes in the formed metal after addition of 0.01wt.% of the MWCNTs. It was also evaluated that the addition of mentioned amount of MWCNT into alloy has no influence to the phase composition of the formed metal.