Multiwalled carbon nanotubes as an additive to Mg-Mg₂Si in situ composite obtained by powder sintering

This paper reports on the possibility of applying carbon nanotubes as an additive to metallic materials, where a new phase forms in situ from the powder mixture. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) amounts of 1 vol% and 3 vol% were applied to synthesize a composite with interpenetrating phases obtained from magnesium microsized powder and nanosized silicon (n)Si by sintering under vacuum. In the experiments, two ordered Mg-(n)Si-MWCNT powder mixtures with a (n)Si: MWCNT ratio of 2: 1 were prepared by sonication. The effects of Mg₂Si silicide in situ synthesis on the behavior of MWCNTs and the Mg₂Si and Mgα morphology were studied. Using LM with quantitative metallography, SEM with EDS, XRD, HREM, it was found that the MWCNTs were a component of the skeleton formed by submicron and nanosized Mg₂Si, MgO, and Mgα mixture. Non-agglomerated MWCNTs were also found in microsized Mg₂Si particles in the composite. A decrease in the silicide crystallite size was also observed compared with material without a carbon nanocomponent. The transformation of MWCNTs into another phase or their morphology change was not observed. Therefore, the effects described in this paper can be adapted to technologies focused on different types of composites and for designing Mg₂Si-based thermoelectric materials and intermetallic alloys.