Metal matrix nanocomposite containing oriented graphene sheets and production process

A metal matrix nanocomposite comprising:

• (A) a metal or metal alloy as a matrix material, wherein said metal or metal alloy contains silver (Ag), gold (Au), platinum (Pt), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), titanium (Ti), vanadium (V), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), aluminum (Al), magnesium (Mg), tin (Sn), indium (In), lead (Pb), an alloy thereof, a combination thereof, or a combination thereof with copper (Cu);
• and
• (B) multiple graphene sheets that are dispersed in said matrix material, wherein said multiple graphene sheets are substantially aligned to be parallel to one another and are in an amount from 0.1% to 95% by volume based on the total nanocomposite volume;
• wherein said multiple graphene sheets contain single-layer or few-layer graphene sheets selected from a pristine graphene material having essentially zero % of non-carbon elements, or a non-pristine graphene material having 0.001% to 25% by weight of non-carbon elements wherein said non-pristine graphene is selected from graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide, graphene fluoride, graphene chloride, graphene bromide, graphene iodide, hydrogenated graphene, nitrogenated graphene, doped graphene, chemically functionalized graphene, or a combination thereof and wherein said chemically functionalized graphene is not graphene oxide.