A high strength and high electrical conductivity copper based composite enhanced by graphene and Al2O3 nanoparticles

Abstract

The rapid development of electrical and electronic engineering requires to further surmount the trade-off between the electrical conductivity and strength of Cu matrix composite. In this study, the surface of Cu–Al2O3 powder is selective for carbon sources, and only α-naphthol can prepare graphene. Graphene and Al2O3 particles are simultaneously incorporated into Cu matrix by hot-press sintering Cu–Al2O3 powders by internal oxidation coated with in-situ grown graphene. This composite exhibits a good combination of strength and conductivity (600 MPa of ultimate tensile strength and 81.7 % IACS of electrical conductivity) due to synergistic effect of graphene and Al2O3 particles. This composite fabricated by such synergistic more effectively retains the microstructure induced by plastic deformation during the cold-rolling process. Both graphene and Al2O3 particles uniformly distribute in Cu matrix. Coherent Al2O3 particles and graphene in situ grown can be well enhance to Orowan looping mechanism effect, and the addition of graphene in Cu matrix composite with Al2O3 particles can improve dislocation strengthening and dispersion strengthening at the same time. Our study provides an effective route to achieve simultaneously high strength and conductivity of Cu matrix composites.