Graphene Covered Alumina Nanofibers as Toughening Agent in Alumina Ceramics

Abstract:

Graphene is a promising component for next-generation high-performance structural and multifunctional composite materials. Graphene deposited onto nanofibers of high aspect ratio can serve as reinforcement agent for improving ceramic fracture toughness and electroconductivity. It was found that quality and quantity of graphene sheets on the fiber surface essentially depends on the pyrolysis of carbon source conditions such as gas flow, duration, temperature and the composition of the gas mixture. The alumina/graphene composites of 10 and 15 wt% of nanofibers covered by graphene were produced by spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1380 °C. Both composites show improvement in mechanical and electrical properties as compared to the monolithic alumina. The main advantage of the graphene growth on the fibers surface is a lack of complicated step of constituents mixing. Graphene platelets are believed to act as toughening agents prevailing crack propagation under loading.

• Periodical: Advances in Science and Technology (Volume 88)
• Pages: 49-53
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AST.88.49
• Online since: October 2014
• Authors: Irina Hussainova*, Maria Drozdova, Marina Aghayan, Roman Ivanov, Domingo Pérez-Coll
• Keywords: Alumina, Ceramic, CVD, Graphene, Nanofiber, Sinter/HIP, SPS

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