A novel approach to prepare aluminium-alloy foams reinforced by carbon-nanotubes

This paper presents an innovative approach to prepare a new class of closed-cell reinforced (nanocomposite) metal-foams that synergistically explores the remarkable properties of both metal-foams and carbon-nanotubes. This approach combines colloidal-processing (including freeze-granulation-lyophilisation) and powder technology, ensuring the retention of the tubular-structure of -COOH-functionalised multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH) and their uniform distribution in the metal-matrix. The microstructural analysis revealed non-agglomerated, well-dispersed, stretched and directionally-aligned MWCNTs within the AI-matrix of the foams. These conditions potentiate the reinforcing role of MWCNTs with Vickers microhardness increments > 100%. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.