Graphene Reinforced Titanium (<150µm) Matrix Composites and Its Properties

Abstract

Recently, composite materials play a major role in the production of materials with superior properties in engineering applications. Composite materials for component are chosen components is because of weight saving for its relative stiffness and strength. Nowadays, as carbon reinforcing material carbon nanotube (CNT), graphite and graphene are used as reinforcing materials. The graphene has the most remarkable properties in this reinforced material due to its extraordinary mechanical features, low friction and high abrasion resistance. In recent years, researches were concentrated on the production of graphene reinforced metal matrix composites such as aluminum, magnesium, titanium etc. Among them, graphene reinforced titanium composite has a new topic in composite applications. These composite materials can be used in biomaterials, aerospace and automotive applications. Because of these considerations, graphene reinforced titanium matrix composites were fabricated using powder metallurgy route. In this study, titanium metalic powder (<150 µm) and graphene nanoplates (5-10 nm thickness, <10µm diameter) were used as matrix and reinforcement element, respectively. The graphene was added to titanium for various percentages (0, 0.15, 0.30, 0.45 and 0.60 % wt.). After compaction, sintering was performed at 1100oC for 2h. The microstructure and crystal phase of the composites were analyzed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). According to the results, the best hardness values were obtained for 0.15%wt. graphene added titanium samples. The hardness results showed that, graphene reinforced titanium composites were enhanced from 232 HV to 331 HV for 0.15 %wt. graphene added composite. It reduces with graphene addition due to agglomeration tendency of graphene. The graphene was located around the titanium powder from the SEM images. © CCM 2020 - 18th European Conference on Composite Materials. All rights reserved.