PREPARATION AND MICROSTRUCTURE OF MCNT/Cu NANOCOMPOSITE

The fracture process and the structure changes of the multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MCNT) during the mechanical ball milling process were investigated and the samples of ball milled powder were observed by SEM. The results indicate that the MCNT turned into nano-whiskers or nano-particles during the ball milling process. The pre-milled MCNT could be distributed in Cu powders homogeneously. The bulk MCNT/Cu nanocomposite were fabricated by hot pressing the mixed MCNT/Cu powders at a temperature of 1073 K under a pressure of 20 MPa and the microstructure of the composites were investigated. It has been found that the multi-walled carbon nanotubes distributed in copper evenly.