Bending Analysis of CNT Reinforced Metal Matrix Composite Rectangular Plates Using Higher Order Shear Deformation Theory

Abstract

I. INTRODUCTIONThe immense need to develop lightweight and high-strength materials for improving energy-efficiency through the weight reduction of transportation carriers. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) generally consist of lightweight metal alloys of aluminum magnesium, or titanium, reinforced with ceramic particulate, whiskers, or fibres. The reinforcement is very important because it determines the mechanical properties, cost, and performance of a given composite. Composites reinforced with particulate (discontinuous types of reinforcement) can have costs to unreinforced metals, with significantly better hardness, and somewhat better stiffness and strength. Continuous reinforcement (long fibre) can result in dramatic improvements in mechanical properties of MMC, but costs remain high. The application of continuously and discontinuously reinforced MMCs varies based on the design requirements. MMCs can be tailored to fulfil requirements that no other materials, including other advanced materials, can achieve. There are a number of niche applications in aerospace structures and electronics that capitalize on this advantage. Aluminium and its alloys have attracted many researchers to choose it as a base metal in metal matrix composites [1]. Aluminium MMCs are widely used in aircraft, aerospace, automobiles and various other fields [2].Al matrix is widely used for CNT reinforced MMCs. Since the work by Zhong et al. [3]. The reinforcements should be stable in the given working temperature and non-reactive too. There are many manufacturing methods to obtain the CNT reinforced Al matrix composites (Al-CNT), amongst which, the powder metallurgy (P/M) technique could be considered as the most effective and economic one. Most of the current Al-CNT composites were fabricated by P/M and significant enhancement in stiffness and strength have been obtained [4][5][6]. A novel method to fabricate CNT-Al composites, which consists of a molecular level mixing process was proposed Cha et al. [7]. The CNT-Al metal matrix composites fabricated by this process improved the hardness due to a load transfer mechanism of the CNTs. The strength of CNT-Al metal matrix composites and investigated the relevant strengthening mechanisms involved in CNT-Al composites in order to produce optimized composites was studied George et al. [8]. The need for high performance and lightweight materials for some demanding applications has led to extensive efforts in the development of aluminium matrix composites and cost-effective fabrication technologies [9][10][11][12]. They are proved to have good mechanical properties through an incorporation of structural filler (e.g., aluminium oxide, ceramic whiskers such as silicon carbide whisker and others, graphite, carbon fibers and CNTs) With this context, the dimensionally Nano-sized, mechanically strong CNTs [13][14][15][16] are considered as the ideal reinforcing filler in various composite systems [17][18][19][20], have been incorporated into aluminium