Fabrication of homogeneously dispersed graphene/Al composites by solution mixing and powder metallurgy

Graphene-reinforced aluminum (Al) matrix composites were successfully preparedviasolution mixing and powder metallurgy in this study. The mechanical properties of the composites were studied using microhardness and tensile tests. Compared to the pure Al alloy, the graphene/Al composites showed increased strength and hardness. A tensile strength of 255 MPa was achieved for the graphene/Al com-posite with only 0.3wt% graphene, which has a 25% increase over the tensile strength of the pure Al matrix. Raman spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate the morphol-ogies, chemical compositions, and microstructures of the graphene and the graphene/Al composites. On the basis of fractographic evidence, a relevant fracture mechanism is proposed.