Pulsed current field assisted surface modification of carbon nanotubes with nanocrystalline titanium carbide

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were surface modified with titanium carbide (TiC) nanocrystalline particles by a novel pressureless spark plasma sintering method. The microstructure and properties of the nano-TiC modified MWCNTs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, thermal gravity analysis and nanoindentation. Experimental results showed that the TiC nanoparticles were generated and grown epitaxially on the surface of MWCNTs by the pulsed current field assisted solid-state reaction between Ti and MWCNTs. The TiC nanoparticles were preferentially nucleated at defective sites of the nanotubes surfaces and grown along the [111] direction. Nano-TiC modified MWCNTs showed better oxidation resistance than that of the pure MWCNTs. Improvements of Young's modulus (31.18%) and nanohardness (62.74%) were achieved by doping of 1.0 wt.% TiC coated-MWCNTs into the aluminium matrix. The proposed modification strategy can be a versatile route for fabricating other nano-carbide coating on one dimensional nano-reinforcements.