Improving the thermal shock response of aluminum by graphene composition

S Sadeghzadeh and M Hamzavi and F Hasheminia and H Khashei, MATERIALS TODAY COMMUNICATIONS, 40, 110093 (2024).

DOI: 10.1016/j.mtcomm.2024.110093

There are many harsh environments in which the utilised structures must be able to continue their functionality under very complex and challenging conditions. Thermal shock is the most dangerous and strategic case. This paper investigated the effects of thermal shock on the performance of aluminum, graphene, and aluminum-graphene nanocomposite using molecular dynamics simulation. The thermal expansion and thermal conductivity coefficients and the stress wave propagation speed of Al and graphene are in good agreement with the reported values. These parameters were obtained alpha=15.95x10- 6- 6 K- 1 , k=6.23 w/mK, and 11 km/s. Adding graphene to aluminum reduces the maximum thermal stress of 19.73 MPa in pure aluminum to 77.1 MPa in the aluminum- graphene nanocomposite. The speed of phononic heat transfer in pure and composite aluminum is about 2.3 and 8 km/s, much less than the speed of the stress wave. The strength and Young's modulus of the material decrease with increasing thermal cycles. Obtained results could be implemented to design advanced nanocomposites to increase the thermal stress release for harsh environments.

Return to Publications page