Microstructural Analysis of Mg/CNT Surface Composite Using Friction Stir Processing

The ongoing demand for lightweight materials is a more promising example of a growth trend in aeronautical and automotive uses. Recently, carbon nanotubes with better mechanical properties are highly desirable for developing some advanced composites. Magnesium has tremendous potential to improve mechanical properties when used in composites due to its wide range of lightweight material properties. Consequently, a magnesium composite was developed by adding carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as reinforcement in a magnesium matrix. A modified form of the friction stir processing (FSP) technology was used to generate the composite to improve CNT dispersion. The perforations in the structure were spaced at 10-mm and 20-mm intervals. Furthermore, the effect of carbon nanotubes was studied and validated using various characterizations. The existence of native phases of the material was confirmed by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) research. The presence of carbon, magnesium, and oxygen elements in the XRF graph indicated that CNTs were implanted during fabrication. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was also performed to validate the visual structure of the CNTs, and a consistent distribution was seen across the sample. The hardness test was performed, which indicated that both specimens have more microhardness than the pure Mg. As a result, it has been found that surface composites produced with a higher percentage of CNTs exhibit better microhardness.