Microstructure, electrical conductivity, and wear behavior of aluminum-carbon nanotubes and biosynthesized silver nanoparticles composites

Low-cost biosynthesized silver nanoparticles (GAgNPs) were used to enhance the properties of Al-carbon nanotube (CNTs) composites. Al-x% CNTs (× =0, 1, 2, 3, 4) and Al-x% CNTs (× =0, 1, 2, 3, 4) with 2%GAgNPs were produced using high intensive ball milling and spark plasma sintering. The densification, electrical conductivity, microstructure, hardness values, and wear rate were determined. The balling milling of the powders and the SPS method used in the production of the nanocomposites help to close the micro-voids in the materials with high values of densification. Higher dislocation density was obtained for the Al-4%CNTs+2%GAgNPs nanocomposites. A 7.8% and 93.11% raise in the electrical conductivity was obtained for Al, Al-4%CNTs, and Al-4%CNTs-2%GAgNPs composites. It can be concluded that the wear behavior of the Al-CNTs-GAgNPs nanocomposites was affected by the good densification of the composites, homogenous distribution of the reinforcement, and hardness values of the nanocomposites. It was established that a lower coefficient of friction and wear rate with higher electrical conductivity can be obtained with the developed Al-CNTs+GAgNPs nanocomposites.