Fabrication and Properties of Magnesium (AM50)-based Hybrid Composites with Graphite Nanofiber and Alumina Short Fiber

In this article, an attempt has been made to the development of magnesium (AM50)-based hybrid composites with graphite nanofiber (GNFs)/alumina short fiber (Al2O3sf) hybrid preforms by infiltration method. The main objective of the present work is to investigate the effect of higher volume percentage of GNFs with the mechanical properties of the Mg/Al2O3sf composites system. Based on the SEM observations, it has been confirmed that the Al2O3sf are good dispersed within the matrix metal. However, the GNFs were formed agglomerated within the matrix metal due to the higher volume percentage of GNFs while preforming. The mechanical properties such as hardness, tensile strength, and compressive strength of composites improved upto a threshold of 10% volume fraction of fibers. When the volume fraction of fibers was above 10% the properties showed to decreasing trend due to the presence of GNFs agglomerations. In the present hybrid composites, even though GNFs existed as clusters their distribution within the array of Al2O3sf network are found to be relatively good. It suggests that a critical amount of GNFs agglomerates may actually be beneficial for the mechanical properties of the composites.