Brazing of C/C composites to Ti6Al4V using graphene nanoplatelets reinforced TiCuZrNi brazing alloy

• C/C and Ti6Al4V were successfully brazed with GNPs + TiCuZrNi brazing filler.
• The shear strength of joints was improved when GNPs was added in the brazing alloy.
• The GNPs and TiC particles in interlayer could relieve thermal residual stresses.
• The GNPs in joints lead to improve the crack propagated resistance.

Graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) were used as reinforcement in the TiCuZrNi brazing alloy for joining carbon/carbon composites (C/C) to Ti6Al4V. The microstructure and fracture behavior of bonded joints were investigated. The results showed that the shear strength of C/C-Ti6Al4V joints with GNPs was much higher than that of the joints without GNPS. The improvement of shear strength was mainly caused by the fact that the existence of TiC particles and GNPS in braze, which could reduce the CTE of brazing alloy and alleviate the residual stresses at the interface of C/C and braze.