Damping of aluminum-matrix composite reinforced by carbon nanotube: Multiscale modeling and characteristics

F Wang and L Li and HS Tang and XL Wang and YJ Hu, SCIENCE CHINA- TECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 66, 1062-1074 (2023).

DOI: 10.1007/s11431-022-2297-3

It is a crucial requirement for structure-damping materials to attain both stiffness and damping; unfortunately, the two properties are usually mutually exclusive. This study interestingly demonstrates that introducing Ni atoms into the interface of carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced aluminum-matrix composites can defeat the conflict of stiffness versus damping. This originates from the gradient variation of the modulus and energy dissipation in the effective interfacial zone. The rule of mixture is modified by taking the interface contribution into account, and a gradient damping model is proposed to account for the contribution of the interface energy dissipation. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm that the proposed multiscale modulus and damping models can describe the elastic modulus and damping behavior of the composites with different volume fractions and different diameters of CNTS. The gradient interface slip caused by the lattice mismatches and misfit dislocations between Ni-coated CNT and aluminum is one of the pathways for achieving unprecedented levels of the product of stiffness and damping.

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