Fabrication of High Strength Metal-Carbon Nanotube Composites

Abstract

A major objective of Army technology is the development of lighter and stronger platforms such as armored vehicles for Future Combat systems and Future Force. Here we show that carbon nanotubes could be the basis of such a possibility. It is shown for the first time that a carbon nanotube-iron composite, iron being the principle component of steel, has significantly enhanced mechanical strength. The major challenge has been to develop methods to incorporate single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) into metals. Here we report the first successful fabrication of a metal-SWNT composite having significantly enhanced yield strength. A direct and controllable method of incorporating SWNTS into iron, the principal component of steel, has been developed.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA505722

Entities

People

  • A. Goyal
  • D. A. Wiegand
  • F. J. Owens
  • Z. Iqbal

Organizations

  • United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Carbon Nanotube Composites
  • Carbon Nanotubes
  • Composite Materials
  • Dielectric Gases
  • Fabrication
  • Graphitic Materials
  • Materials
  • Materials Processing
  • Materials Science
  • Measurement
  • Mechanical Properties
  • Mechanical Working
  • Nanocomposites
  • Stress Strain Relations
  • Stresses
  • Yield Strength

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Nanocomposite Materials Science