The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology

https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-019-04243-7

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Fabrication and characterization of AA6061/CNTs surface

nanocomposite by friction stir processing
Hussnain Riaz 1 & Tareq Mnazoor 2 & Ali Raza 3

Received: 12 March 2019 / Accepted: 31 July 2019

# Springer-Verlag London Ltd., part of Springer Nature 2019

Abstract
Aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) are among the advanced materials that are employed in numerous industrial applications.
AMCs have good stiffness and strength. They have low weight that makes them valuably handy for improving fuel efficiency and
economy in the structures made from them. The friction stir processing (FSP) is a novel technique which is highly advantageous
for producing composites, which are reinforced with particles that are sub-micron in size particularly in light weight metal matrix
composites (MMCs). Current study is done to examine the potential of AA6061-based surface nanocomposites by reinforcing it
with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) (as-received and purified) employing FSP. Fabrication of the composites is carried out by filling
CNTs into the grooves of different sizes and friction stir processed (FSPd). Various parameters are investigated to attain best
mechanical properties and dispersion of CNTs in the matrix. Metallography is used to reveal the material flow and grain size
variation in the zones formed by the FSP. Micro hardness and tensile tests are conducted to evaluate the mechanical properties and
an increase of 47.3% hardness and an increase of 32.4% ultimate tensile strength (UTS) are observed from the base FSPd
material. Electron microscopic techniques are also employed to reveal the microstructural details.

Keywords Aluminum matrix composites . Friction stir . CNTs . Tensile . Microstructure

1 Introduction technique that, in a single pass, improves the mechanical prop-

In loads of industrial applications, primarily in aerospace, au-
tomotive, and railway industries, material selection with spe-
cific properties is of paramount importance. However, cost
and time of production are the limiting factors to produce
the alloys with specific properties like high strength. But, if
we increase strength, ductility goes down. Hence, to flourish
processing techniques by which high strength and high duc-
tility at the same time by keeping in check, the time of pro-
duction and cost are needed [1, 2]. FSP is a new processing
* Tareq Mnazoor
tareqmanzoor@cuilahore.edu.pk
1
Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, China
2
COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus, Lahore, Pakistan
3
COMSATS University Islamabad, Sahiwal campus,
Sahiwal, Pakistan
erties and microstructure of a material with less time and cost.
In FSP, a revolving tool pin is sticked to the surface of a
material to be welded and crossed through its surface. Plastic
and friction distortion produced by tool is used to heat the
workpiece and make it soft. The local region is then modified
by the rotating pin [3]. When reinforcement like CNTs is
added in a groove or hole to form a composite, they are dis-
persed uniformly in the stirred zone by the tool [4]. FSP offers
many advantages over the conventional processes like the use
of low-cost tool, robust finishing process requirement, utiliza-
tion of easily accessible machine tool technology, automation
suitability, energy efficiency, and environmental friendliness.
The addition of CNTs into different matrices as a reinforce-
ment is getting a lot of interest in research community. In
addition to higher chemical and thermal stability, CNTs have
the capacity to exhibit high yield strength (YS) and elastic
modulus values. CNTs have an ability to work as strengthen-
ing agents by the process of preventing atomic movements [3,
5–10]. Thus, CNTs have great potential as reinforcement in