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Description
The present work investigates the wear and mechanical behaviors of Nickel Aluminide – Carbon Nanotube (Ni3Al-CNT) composite intermetallics. These intermetallics contain 0-3 volume percent Carbon Nanotubes (CNT’s) and were produced using combustion synthesis by Kaitlin Kehl and annealed at 1370°C for 10 hours. A full phase analysis, chemical composition analysis, percent porosity analysis, and Vickers microhardness analysis were conducted on the annealed samples. Wear testing was then conducted using a pin-on-disk tribometer. The wear rate and frictional force/friction coefficient were recorded during the wear testing, and a full chemical composition analysis and SEM observation was conducted on the wear debris. The annealing was shown to eliminate intermediate Nickel-Aluminum phases and unreacted Nickel noted in the unannealed samples. Annealing was also shown to both homogenize and reduce percent porosity of the samples containing CNT’s. Annealing was also shown to increase and homogenize the microhardness of the samples, and microhardness was shown to increase linearly with CNT content. Wear testing analysis showed that the samples underwent ploughing-type abrasive wear that became less severe with increased CNT content; the CNT’s acted as a lubricious layer to prevent abrasive wear. Wear testing analysis also showed simultaneous adhesive and oxidative wear, leading to buildup of wear debris that lifted the sample face from the wear disk and prevented further abrasive wear. The frictional force/friction coefficient were also shown to decrease in samples containing CNT’s, although varying CNT content was not shown to have a tangible effect on frictional force/friction coefficient.
