Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Composites: Metal and Ceramic ...

Figure 4.8 Texture analysis of Mg/1.3 wt% MWNT
nanocomposite showing (a) ð1010Þ, (0 0 0 2) and ð1011Þ pole
figures and (b) alignment of basal and non-basal planes according
to the pole figure results. Reproduced with permission from [19].
Copyright Ó (2008) Elsevier.
4.2 Tensile Deformation Behaviorj113
inhomogeneous distribution of nanotubes. The primary yield strength can be
estimated theoretically from modified shear-lag equations (Equations 4.5 and 4.6).
The results are listed in Table 4.4. Apparently, modified shear-lag model predictions
agree reasonably with the experimentally measured data.
To obtain homogeneous dispersion of nanotubes in a copper matrix, the molecular
level mixing method was used to prepare the Cu/5 vol% MWNT and Cu/10 vol%
MWNT nanocomposites. The resulting composite powders were then spark plasma
sintered at 550 C for 1 min [Chap. 2, Ref. 86, Chap. 2, Ref. 87, Chap. 2, Ref. 89].
Figure 4.10(a) shows compressive stress–strain curves of pure Cu and its nanocomposites.
The variation of elastic modulus and yield strength with nanotube content is
shown in Figure 4.10(b). The Cu/MWNT nanocomposites only exhibit one yield