Composite of aluminum and boron nitride nanotubes and method for manufacturing same

Abstract

There is provided a composite of a metallic matrix and boron nitride nanotubes, the metallic matrix including aluminum or an aluminum alloy. Also, there is provided a method for manufacturing the composite. The method includes: a powder mixing step of mixing a powder of boron nitride nanotubes and a powder of an element soluble in a molten metal of the metallic matrix to prepare a powder mixture of boron nitride nanotubes and a metallic matrix-soluble element; an alloy melt mixing step of mixing the powder mixture and the molten metal of the metallic matrix to prepare a metallic matrix melt mixed with boron nitride nanotubes; and a casting step of solidifying the metallic matrix melt mixed with boron nitride nanotubes to obtain the composite.

What is claimed is 
     
         1 . A composite of a metallic matrix and boron nitride nanotubes, the metallic matrix comprising aluminum or an aluminum alloy, wherein
 the boron nitride nanotubes are dispersed in the metallic matrix, and the metallic matrix is melt-solidified.   
     
     
         2 . The composite according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the aluminum alloy comprises aluminum as a main component and at least one of silicon, copper, magnesium, and nickel.   
     
     
         3 . A method for manufacturing a composite of a metallic matrix and boron nitride nanotubes, the metallic matrix comprising aluminum or an aluminum alloy, the method comprising:
 a powder mixing step of mixing a powder of boron nitride nanotubes and a powder of an element soluble in a molten metal of the metallic matrix to prepare a powder mixture of boron nitride nanotubes and a metallic matrix-soluble element;   an alloy melt nixing step of mixing the powder mixture and the molten metal of the metallic matrix to prepare a metallic matrix melt mixed with boron nitride nanotubes; and   a casting step of solidifying the metallic matrix melt mixed with boron nitride nanotubes to obtain the composite.   
     
     
         4 . The method for manufacturing a composite of a metallic matrix and boron nitride nanotubes according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the powder of an element soluble in a molten metal of the metallic matrix is a powder of silicon.   
     
     
         5 . The method for manufacturing a composite of a metallic matrix and boron nitride nanotubes according to  claim 3 , wherein
 a ratio between the specific surface area of the powder of boron nitride nanotubes and the specific surface area of the powder of an element soluble in a molten metal of the metallic matrix is less than 10.   
     
     
         6 . The method for manufacturing a composite of a metallic matrix and boron nitride nanotubes according to  claim 3 , wherein
 a mass ratio between the powder of boron nitride nanotubes and the powder of an element soluble in a molten metal of the metallic matrix is equal to or more than 1:2 and equal to or less than 2:1.   
     
     
         7 . The method for manufacturing a composite of a metallic matrix and boron nitride nanotubes according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the aluminum alloy comprises aluminum as a main component and at least one of silicon, copper, magnesium, and nickel.   
     
     
         8 . The method for manufacturing a composite of a metallic matrix and boron nitride nanotubes according to  claim 3 , wherein the powder: mixing step comprises:
 a boron nitride nanotube suspension preparation substep of mixing the powder of boron nitride nanotubes and an organic solvent to prepare a boron nitride nanotube suspension;   a metallic matrix-soluble element suspension preparation substep of mixing the powder of an element soluble in a molten metal of the metallic matrix and an organic solvent to prepare a metallic matrix-soluble element suspension;   a boron nitride nanotube/metallic matrix-soluble element suspension preparation substep of mixing the boron nitride nanotube suspension and the metallic matrix-soluble element suspension to prepare a boron nitride nanotube/metallic matrix-soluble element suspension; and   an organic solvent elimination substep of eliminating the organic solvent from the boron nitride nanotube/metallic matrix-soluble element suspension to prepare the powder mixture of boron nitride nanotubes and a metallic matrix-soluble element.