AM of Al-Si reinforced with CNTs to Robust the Mechanical Properties

Aluminum-Silicon alloys has got much attention because of the aspect ratio and high strength alloy, hence its exerted with grain flows and slipping in mid-to- high temperature, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were added to elaborate and strengthen the Al-Si alloy, with different portions (0.5, 1, 2, 4) wt% MWNTs by weight to a gas atomized micro particles of Al-11 wt% Si. The mixing process were done by four steps, first dispersion process of MWNTs with methanol (HPLC grade) by ultrasonication and followed magnetic stirring and adding Al-11 wt% Si powder with mechanical mixing under solution of methanol. Until the most solution dried, the mixed powder saved in oven and later on mixed using ball milling for 5 hours under process control agent (PCA). The final composite powder exerted by Air plasma spraying (APS) to spray Al-11 wt% Si/MWNTs nanocomposite powder on aluminium alloy AA6082-T6 substrates. Al-11 wt% Si/MWNTs nanocomposite coating layer deposited on AA6082-T6 were examined also coating thickness increased with exist of MWNTs in (1-4 wt%), the splats were more homogeneity with connected fingers rather than without adding MWNTs. Smaller grain sizes of aluminium and silicon can be obtained with adding MWNTs, extra cooling rate obtain due to high thermal conductivity of CNTs. This leads also formation of some amorphous phase in the matrix during the plasma spraying and overall mechanical properties were increases.