Fabrication of carbon nanofiber reinforced aluminum alloy nanocomposites by a liquid process

Carbon nanofiber (CNF) reinforced aluminum alloy nanocomposites were fabricated by a liquid process. In order to enhance the wettability of Al on CNFs and the dispersion of CNFs in the Al melt, and suppress the formation of the brittle Al ₄C ₃ phase, Cu was coated on CNFs using electroless plating. CNFs were also vibration-milled to enhance the dispersion of the CNFs by reducing the aspect ratio of the CNFs. The Cu-coated CNFs could be easily accommodated into the Al melt by using button-shaped feedstocks that were made of CNFs and Al powder. The concentration of CNFs in the CNF/Al nanocomposites was varied from 0.065 to 0.58 wt.%. Our results indicate that CNF/Al nanocomposites with significantly improved mechanical properties could be fabricated by a liquid process and that CNFs acted as an effective reinforcement material.