Microstructure and Interfacial Bonding Evolution of Cold Spray Deposited Graphene-Reinforced Composite Feedstock on AZ80 Magnesium Substrate

Due to the outstanding mechanical properties of graphene nanoplates (GNP), it has been considered an ideal reinforcing agent for the production of a metal-matrix composite (MMC). In this study, 1.0 wt.% graphene-reinforced Aluminum 6061 MMC particles have been synthesized using the high-energy mechanical alloying (HE-MA) method to be deployed as feedstock in cold spray additive manufacturing. The synthesized MMC particles were spray coated on AZ80 magnesium substrate. The coating microstructure, coating-substrate interface evolution, and particle-particle bonding mechanism were studied. The novel HE-MA composite particles deposited coating exhibits greater deformability, thanks to crystal-level grain refinement, thereby improving interface mechanical interlocking.