Manufacturing of Carbon Nanotube Preform with High Porosity and Its Application in Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract

A new process is proposed to manufacture carbon nanotube preform and carbon nanotube (vapor grown carbon fiber, VGCF)-reinforced aluminum matrix composite. Carbon nanotube preform is fabricated using a mixtures of mesophase pitch (MP) and VGCF. The VGCF-MP-preform-reinforced aluminum composite was manufactured by a low-pressure casting method, with a pressure of 0.8 MPa. The effect of the addition ratio of MP powder and VGCF on VGCF-MP-preform was observed. Therefore, microstructure of VGCF-MP-preform-reinforced aluminum composites with and without nickel plating was observed.