	US 11,753,706 B2
	Graphene- and in-situ nanoparticle-reinforced aluminum-based composite material and preparation method
Yutao Zhao, Zhenjiang (CN); Gang Chen, Zhenjiang (CN); Chuang Guan, Zhenjiang (CN); Xizhou Kai, Zhenjiang (CN); Wei Qian, Zhenjiang (CN); Luyao Huang, Zhenjiang (CN); Xu Gao, Zhenjiang (CN); and Liwei Jin, Zhenjiang (CN)
Assigned to JIANGSU UNIVERSITY, Zhenjiang (CN)
Appl. No. 18/8,669
Filed by JIANGSU UNIVERSITY, Zhenjiang (CN)
PCT Filed Feb. 11, 2022, PCT No. PCT/CN2022/075973 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 7, 2022, PCT Pub. No. WO2022/127941, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 23, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 202011504174.3 (CN), filed on Dec. 18, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0193427 A1, Jun. 22, 2023
Int. Cl. C22C 1/02 (2006.01); C22C 21/00 (2006.01); C22C 1/10 (2023.01); C22F 1/04 (2006.01)

CPC C22C 21/00 (2013.01) [C22C 1/026 (2013.01); C22C 1/101 (2013.01); C22C 1/1084 (2013.01); C22C 1/1094 (2013.01); C22F 1/04 (2013.01)]

8 Claims

1. A preparation method of a graphene and in-situ nanoparticle-co-reinforced aluminum matrix composite, comprising: heating an aluminum alloy for melting, adding potassium fluoroborate and potassium fluorozirconate to produce in-situ nano-ZrB₂particles, additionally adding a mixture of pre-prepared copper-coated graphene nanosheets and an aluminum powder, followed by stirring with an electromagnetic field for an uniform dispersion to obtain a resulting melt; and ultrasonically treating the resulting melt to improve a dispersion of the in-situ nano-ZrB₂particles and the pre-prepared copper-coated graphene nanosheets, followed by casting for molding to obtain a casting, and subjecting the casting to homogenization and rolling for a deformation to obtain a graphene and in-situ nano-ZrB₂particle-co-reinforced aluminum matrix composite, wherein the preparation method specifically comprises the following steps:

(1) a pretreatment of raw materials for producing the nano-ZrB₂particles: taking and thoroughly mixing the potassium fluoroborate and the potassium fluorozirconate according to a molar ratio of (2-2.1):1 to obtain a first resulting mixture, and preheating the first resulting mixture to 300° C. to 500° C. for later use;

(2) a preparation of the pre-prepared copper-coated graphene;

(3) a mixing of copper-coated graphene and the aluminum powder: mixing and ball-milling the copper-coated graphene and the aluminum powder for 1 h to 3 h in a ball mill under an Ar atmosphere according to a mass ratio of 1:(1-2) to obtain a mixture;

(4) a preparation of an as-cast aluminum matrix composite: heating an aluminum alloy melt to 850° C. to 900° C., adding pretreated potassium fluoroborate and potassium fluorozirconate to allow a reaction for 25 min to 30 min to produce the nano-ZrB₂particles, during the reaction, an electromagnetic stirring is conducted for a particle dispersion; cooling to a predetermined temperature, and adding the mixture of the copper-coated graphene and the aluminum powder to the aluminum alloy melt under a mechanical stirring to obtain a second resulting mixture; and subjecting the second resulting mixture to an ultrasonic treatment, and casting to obtain the as-cast aluminum matrix composite;

(5) a homogenization: keeping the as-cast aluminum matrix composite at 560° C. for 20 h to 25 h; and

(6) a rolling: rolling a homogenized composite at 450° C. to 480° C. for the deformation to finally obtain the graphene and in-situ nano-ZrB₂particle-co-reinforced aluminum matrix composite;

wherein in the graphene and in-situ nano-ZrB₂particle-co-reinforced aluminum matrix composite, a content of the copper-coated graphene is 0.01 wt. % to 1 wt. %, a content of the nano-ZrB₂particles is 0.01 wt. % to 3 wt. %, and the balance is an AA6111 aluminum alloy.