E. Flahaut et al., Carbon nanotube-metal-oxide nanocomposites: Microstructure, electrical conductivity and mechanical properties, ACT MATER, 48(14), 2000, pp. 3803-3812
Carbon nanotube-metal-oxide composites (metal=Fe, Co or Fe/Co alloy; oxide=
Al2O3, MgO or MgAl2O4) have been prepared by hot-pressing the corresponding
composite powders, in which the carbon nanotubes, mostly single or double-
walled, are very homogeneously dispersed between the metal-oxide grains. Fo
r the sake of comparison, ceramic and metal-oxide nanocomposites have also
been prepared. The microstructure of the specimens has been studied and dis
cussed in relation to the nature of the matrix, the electrical conductivity
, the fracture strength and the fracture toughness. The carbon nanotube-met
al-oxide composites are electrical conductors owing to the percolation of t
he carbon nanotubes. (C) 2000 Acm Metallurgica Inc. Published by Elsevier S
cience Ltd. All lights reserved.