Acquiring well balanced strength and ductility of Cu/CNTs composites with uniform dispersion of CNTs and strong interfacial bonding

Acquiring metal matrix composites with high strength and large ductility simultaneously is a critical issue, which determines their potential applications in industrial field. In this study, we reported that the well balanced high strength and ductility of Cu/CNTs composites can be achieved by combined effects of full densification, uniform dispersion of CNTs, strong interfacial bonding and suitable Cu matrix features. The interfacial bonding in Cu/CNTs composites is highly dependent on the sintering temperature and CNTs content. The related strengthening and toughening mechanisms were discussed according to the microstructure and related model. This study provides a new insight in fabricating CNTs-reinforced metal matrix composites with high strength and large ductility.