Achieving well-balanced strength and ductility in GNFs/Ti composite via laminated architecture design

A laminated architecture with uniform dispersed graphene nanoflakes (GNFs) was elaborated in pure Ti matrix via a novel spray deposition method in conjunction with low-temperature consolidation strategy. The intrinsic structure of the aligned interlaminar GNFs was well-retained in the whole fabrication processes, and the appropriate interface reaction introduced a strong bonding between GNFs and Ti layers. In particular, the as-designed composite with 0.23 vol% GNFs exhibited the enhanced strength (+48.8% compared with the pure Ti laminates) without sacrifice in ductility. In-situ tensile tests indicated that the GNFs and interfacial TiC could effectively inhibited cracks propagation and relieved the strain concentration. The strengthening and toughening effects were induced by the synergetic effect of uniform dispersion, firmly interface bonding and laminated architecture. Together they act in concert to render outstanding mechanical performance. This study will highlight a simple and feasible route towards well balance between strength and ductility in Ti-based composites, and informative for achieving high-performance in nano-carbon/Ti system.