Decorating nano Ni on the surface of CNTs and their wettability behaviors analysis with aluminum alloy

CNTs have poor wettability with aluminum resulting in strengthening much less than expected. Nano Ni of 50 to 80 nm are uniformly decorated on the surface of CNTs (CNTs@Ni) to improve interface wettability with aluminum. The results of wettability measurements indicate that CNTs@Ni/2024Al system has contact angles of 81.9 degrees at 1133 K. Gibbs free energy calculations show that interfacial reactions of CNTs@Ni/2024Al system are more active than those of CNTs/2024Al system. The interfacial reaction of producing Al4C3 is inhibited, because solid solubility of C in Al is extremely low. More active interfacial reactions of producing AlNi release significant heat to reduce surface tension and solid-liquid interfacial energy, resulting in molten 2024Al interface break-down and making CNTs@Ni/2024Al system exhibits wettability.

Automated summary

Nano Ni particles of 50 to 80 nm are uniformly decorated on the surface of CNTs to improve their interface wettability with aluminum. The CNTs@Ni/2024Al system exhibits good wettability with a contact angle of 81.9 degrees. The more active interfacial reactions of the CNTs@Ni/2024Al system release significant heat, reducing surface tension and solid-liquid interfacial energy, which leads to the breakdown of the molten 2024Al interface and provides wettability.