Carbon nanotubes reinforced titanium metal matrix composites

Titanium (Ti) and its alloys have found important applications in aerospace, petrochemical, biomedical and many other industries because of their high specific strength, low density and excellent corrosion resistance. Especially, the demand of light structures in aerospace and autombile industries for improved efficiencies further trigger the need to explore the potential of novel materials which can replace the existing conventional materials. In this regard, weight savings with improved mechanical and tribological properties have become an extensive research area in the development of such novel materials. In this study, efforts have been made to develop a novel titanium nanocomposites via powder metallurgy routes with carbon nanotubes reinforcements in titanium matrices. Relationships have been established between processing parameters, microstructures, mechanical and tribological properties, and resultant strengthening mechanisms in fabricated composites.