Mechanical Properties of Porous Magnesium Reinforced with Carbon Nanofiber

Abstract

This thesis discusses manufacture, mechanical properties and morphologies of porous magnesium. Porous magnesium, a kind of new material, is different from monolithic magnesium due to its properties. Porous magnesium can be utilized in other applications rather than traditional applications of monolithic magnesium.Morphologies are observed to determine the porosity of the manufactured material, as well as, the effect of porosity on the properties of porous magnesium.One of the important reasons why pure magnesium has not been used widely is its mechanical properties, being lower than most structural metallic materials. Thus, a reinforcement phase is often employed to increase the mechanical properties of porous magnesium. Carbon nanofiber is used as the reinforcement phase in this experimentation. Based on the experimental results, high porosity will compromise the Young's Modulus, the yield strength, and the ultimate compressive strength of porous magnesium. The reinforcement also has a big effect on the mechanical properties of porous magnesium. The properties of magnesium vary depending on the distribution of carbon nanofiber. The mechanical properties are dominated by the properties of magnesium and reinforcement phase and its porosity. None of them is less important than the rest two. They cooperate together to determinate the mechanical properties of porous magnesium.