Comments

Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This is the author’s final version of the work after peer review. The article was originally published in the Journal of the European Ceramic Society in 2011 by Elsevier. The full published article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2011.07.011 on the publisher’s website http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955221911003451

Abstract

Alumina and alumina+1vol.% carbon nanotube (CNT) composites were fully densified by spark plasma sintering. Post-sintering heat treatments (1300–1500 ◦C) were performed to completely oxidize CNTs and then densify the remaining 1 vol.% to produce fine-grained ceramics. The grain size and Vickers hardness of the heat-treated composites were compared with the monolithic alumina sintered without CNT addition. Compared to the initial powder particle size of alumina (D50: 356±74 nm), minimal grain growth (∼450 nm) was observed for the fully dense heat-treated composites. A 25% improvement in Vickers hardness and >10 times finer average grain size were observed for alumina produced by the heat treatment (1300 ◦C) of alumina+1vol.% CNT composite, compared to alumina sintered without CNTs.

Disciplines

Aerospace Engineering | Ceramic Materials | Engineering | Engineering Science and Materials | Nanoscience and Nanotechnology

Recommended Citation

Inama, F., Peijs T., and Reece, M.J. (2011) ‘The production of advanced fine-grained alumina by carbon nanotube addition’. Journal of the European Ceramic Society 31(15) 2853–2859