Graphene reinforced alumina nano-composites

Harshit Porwal; Peter Tatarko; Salvatore Grasso; Jibran Khaliq; Ivo Dlouh; Mike Reece

doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2013.07.086

Graphene reinforced alumina nano-composites

Harshit Porwal, Peter Tatarko, Salvatore Grasso, Jibran Khaliq, Ivo Dlouh, Mike Reece

Mechanical and Construction Engineering Department

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

276 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Graphene was prepared using liquid phase exfoliation and dispersed in an alumina matrix using an ultrasonication and powder processing route. Al2O3–graphene composites with up to 5 vol% content were densified (>99%) using SPS. The fracture toughness of the material increased by 40% with the addition of only 0.8 vol% graphene. However for higher graphene contents the improvement in fracture toughness was limited. Graphene changed the mechanism of crack propagation for the alumina matrix from inter-granular to trans-granular. The formation of an inter-connecting graphene network promoted easy fracture for concentration ⩾2 vol%. Elastic modulus remained nearly constant for up to 2 vol% and decreased significantly for 5 vol% due to the formation of the inter-connecting graphene network. Fracture toughness measured with the indentation and chevron notch methods were consistent up to 2 vol% and at 5 vol% the percolating network of graphene resulted in easy crack propagation with significant discrepancy between the results for the two methods.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	359 - 369
Journal	Carbon
Volume	64
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2013.07.086
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2013

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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbon.2013.07.086

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title = "Graphene reinforced alumina nano-composites",

abstract = "Graphene was prepared using liquid phase exfoliation and dispersed in an alumina matrix using an ultrasonication and powder processing route. Al2O3–graphene composites with up to 5 vol% content were densified (>99%) using SPS. The fracture toughness of the material increased by 40% with the addition of only 0.8 vol% graphene. However for higher graphene contents the improvement in fracture toughness was limited. Graphene changed the mechanism of crack propagation for the alumina matrix from inter-granular to trans-granular. The formation of an inter-connecting graphene network promoted easy fracture for concentration ⩾2 vol%. Elastic modulus remained nearly constant for up to 2 vol% and decreased significantly for 5 vol% due to the formation of the inter-connecting graphene network. Fracture toughness measured with the indentation and chevron notch methods were consistent up to 2 vol% and at 5 vol% the percolating network of graphene resulted in easy crack propagation with significant discrepancy between the results for the two methods.",

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T1 - Graphene reinforced alumina nano-composites

AU - Porwal, Harshit

AU - Tatarko, Peter

AU - Grasso, Salvatore

AU - Khaliq, Jibran

AU - Dlouh, Ivo

AU - Reece, Mike

PY - 2013/11/1

Y1 - 2013/11/1

N2 - Graphene was prepared using liquid phase exfoliation and dispersed in an alumina matrix using an ultrasonication and powder processing route. Al2O3–graphene composites with up to 5 vol% content were densified (>99%) using SPS. The fracture toughness of the material increased by 40% with the addition of only 0.8 vol% graphene. However for higher graphene contents the improvement in fracture toughness was limited. Graphene changed the mechanism of crack propagation for the alumina matrix from inter-granular to trans-granular. The formation of an inter-connecting graphene network promoted easy fracture for concentration ⩾2 vol%. Elastic modulus remained nearly constant for up to 2 vol% and decreased significantly for 5 vol% due to the formation of the inter-connecting graphene network. Fracture toughness measured with the indentation and chevron notch methods were consistent up to 2 vol% and at 5 vol% the percolating network of graphene resulted in easy crack propagation with significant discrepancy between the results for the two methods.

AB - Graphene was prepared using liquid phase exfoliation and dispersed in an alumina matrix using an ultrasonication and powder processing route. Al2O3–graphene composites with up to 5 vol% content were densified (>99%) using SPS. The fracture toughness of the material increased by 40% with the addition of only 0.8 vol% graphene. However for higher graphene contents the improvement in fracture toughness was limited. Graphene changed the mechanism of crack propagation for the alumina matrix from inter-granular to trans-granular. The formation of an inter-connecting graphene network promoted easy fracture for concentration ⩾2 vol%. Elastic modulus remained nearly constant for up to 2 vol% and decreased significantly for 5 vol% due to the formation of the inter-connecting graphene network. Fracture toughness measured with the indentation and chevron notch methods were consistent up to 2 vol% and at 5 vol% the percolating network of graphene resulted in easy crack propagation with significant discrepancy between the results for the two methods.

U2 - 10.1016/j.carbon.2013.07.086

DO - 10.1016/j.carbon.2013.07.086

M3 - Article

SN - 0008-6223

VL - 64

SP - 359

EP - 369

JO - Carbon

JF - Carbon

ER -

Graphene reinforced alumina nano-composites

Abstract

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