Abstract The present work investigates structure-mechanical property correlations of carbon nanotube/aluminum (CNT/Al) composites through characterization and microstructure-based modeling. The nanoscale architecture of these composites, produced by flake powder metallurgy, was established using a transmission electron microscope equipped with an automated crystal orientation mapping system. The architecture mainly consists of elongated Al grains with submicron widths and micron lengths, intergranular CNTs and an interfacial reaction product, namely Al4C3 particles. The stress-strain behavior found with our dislocation-boundary/reinforcement interaction mechanical model, matched our experimental tensile curves. This model was also used to predict several key factors, namely grain dimensions, CNTs volume fraction, intergranular or intragranular distribution and aspect ratio, interfacial reaction rate, impacting tensile strength and ductility. It was found that intergranular CNTs induced strengthening will not result in lower uniform elongations, while intragranular distribution of low aspect ratio CNTs and Al4C3 nanoparticles can increase both strength and uniform elongations by the Orowan mechanism. It is expected that the model in the present work can assist in microstructure design of metal matrix nanocomposites.

中文翻译：

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基于微观结构的碳纳米管/铝复合材料结构-力学性能关系建模

摘要 目前的工作通过表征和基于微观结构的建模研究了碳纳米管/铝 (CNT/Al) 复合材料的结构-机械性能相关性。这些复合材料的纳米级结构由片状粉末冶金生产，使用配备自动晶体取向映射系统的透射电子显微镜建立。该结构主要由具有亚微米宽度和微米长度的细长 Al 晶粒、晶间 CNT 和界面反应产物（即 Al4C3 颗粒）组成。用我们的位错-边界/钢筋相互作用力学模型发现的应力-应变行为与我们的实验拉伸曲线相匹配。该模型还用于预测几个关键因素，即晶粒尺寸、碳纳米管体积分数、晶间或晶内分布和纵横比，界面反应速率，影响抗拉强度和延展性。发现晶间碳纳米管诱导强化不会导致较低的均匀伸长率，而低纵横比碳纳米管和 Al4C3 纳米颗粒的晶内分布可以通过 Orowan 机制提高强度和均匀伸长率。预计目前工作中的模型可以帮助金属基纳米复合材料的微观结构设计。而低纵横比的碳纳米管和 Al4C3 纳米颗粒的颗粒内分布可以通过 Orowan 机制提高强度和均匀伸长率。预计目前工作中的模型可以帮助金属基纳米复合材料的微观结构设计。而低纵横比的碳纳米管和 Al4C3 纳米颗粒的颗粒内分布可以通过 Orowan 机制提高强度和均匀伸长率。预计目前工作中的模型可以帮助金属基纳米复合材料的微观结构设计。