The distribution of reinforcements in titanium matrix composites enhanced with graphene: From dispersed to networked

Designing the reinforcement distribution and thus tailoring the matrix microstructure can be leveraged to achieve titanium matrix composites (TMCs) with well-balanced strength and ductility. In this study, through the utilization of mechanical exfoliation to synthesize core-shell structure powders in-situ and spark plasma sintering subsequently, graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) reinforced Ti6Al4V composites (GNPs/Ti64) with manageable ductility were successfully fabricated. The increasing incorporation of GNPs leads to the reinforcements' transition from dispersed to networked together with the microstructural equiaxialization, which is reflected in a monotonically increasing strength in conjunction with a bimodal distribution of ductility. As a result, both 0.13 wt% GNPs/Ti64 with dispersed reinforcements and 0.70 wt% GNPs/Ti64 with quasi-continuous networked reinforcements possess the well-balanced strength-ductility. This study suggests a practical strategy by regulating the reinforcement distribution for TMCs with attractive properties.