MXene-assisted interface engineering for strengthening aluminium matrix composites via high-pressure torsion
Authors: Ye, J., Elsayed, A., Allam, T., Abd-Elaziem, W., Kamali, A.R., Abdelkader, A.M. and Huang, Y.
Journal: Journal of Alloys and Compounds
Volume: 1051
Pages: 186026(1)-186026(12)
Publisher: Elsevier
eISSN: 1873-4669
ISSN: 0925-8388
DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2026.186026
Abstract:Owing to its intrinsic two-dimensional structure, combined with its functionalized surfaces and superior mechanical properties, Ti3C2Tx (MXene) has emerged as a highly attractive candidate for reinforcing aluminium matrix composites (AMCs) in advanced structural applications. In this study, few-layer MXene (FMXene) was successfully incorporated into pure aluminium via an electrostatic self-assembly strategy followed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) processing at room temperature. The microstructure evolution of FMXene-Al composites was systematically investigated, revealing that this integrated processing strategy effectively induced grain refinement and facilitated the homogeneous dispersion of FMXene. The microhardness of the FMXene-Al composites increased with both the number of HPT turns and the FMXene content (wt.%), reaching a maximum value of approximately 140 HV. Notably, a favourable trade-off between strength and ductility was achieved at an FMXene content of 0.5 wt.%, where the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) reached 290 MPa while retaining appreciable ductility of ~ 1%. This work provides valuable insights into the development of nanostructured, high-performance AMCs via room temperature, interface-engineered processing routes.
Source: Manual
Preferred by: Yi Huang