Research progress on the interface and grain control in carbon nanotube reinforced aluminum matrix composites

With the continuous improvement on the preparation process of the carbon nanotube-reinforced aluminum matrix composites, the difficult dispersion problem of the carbon nanotubes has been properly solved, and the composite strength has been improved, but the high modulus and high strength of the composites have not been fully utilized, and the “strength-plastic” inversion phenomenon has appeared. The adjustment methods of interface structure, grain structure, and composite configuration design of the carbon/aluminum composites in recent years were summarized in this paper, the influence of interface structure strength on the load transfer efficiency of the carbon nanotubes was discussed, the causes of inversion phenomenon were analyzed, and the control ideas were proposed to solve the problem of poor plastic toughness of the composites, providing the basis for preparing the carbon nanotube-reinforced aluminum matrix composites with high strength and toughness.