Effect of fabrication techniques on the properties of carbon nanotubes reinforced magnesium

In this study, both liquid and powder metallurgy techniques were employed to fabricate Mg nanocomposites. Comparisons were made on the physical and mechanical properties of Mg nanocomposites using these two different fabrication techniques. When similar weight fractions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were added to Mg using these two different techniques, the nanocomposites fabricated using powder metallurgy technique were found to be thermally more stable and has higher yield and tensile strengths than those produced using liquid metallurgy technique. The higher yield and tensile strengths were due to the presence of MgO particles which were pre-existent in the Mg powders. The MgO particles cause a hybrid reinforcement effect in the Mg-CNT nanocomposites, which surpasses the strengthening effect of the CNTs alone.