Abstract
In the present study, we have demonstrated a facile and robust way for the fabrication of Cu-graphite composites (CGCs) with spatially-aligned graphite layers. The graphite layers bonded to the copper matrix and the resulting composite structure were entirely characterized. The preferential orientation and angular displacement of the nano-sized graphite fiber reinforcements in the copper matrix were clarified by polarized Raman scattering. Close investigation on the change of the Raman G-peak frequency with the laser excitation power provided us with a manifestation of the structural and electronic properties of the Cu-graphite composites (CGCs) with spatially-distributed graphite phases. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation and Raman analysis revealed that reduced graphite oxide (rGO) phase existed at the CGC interface. This work is highly expected to provide a fundamental way of understanding how a rGO phase can be formed at the Cu-graphite interface, thus finally envisioning usefulness of the CGCs for thermal management materials in electronic applications.
Highlights
As the trend in power electronics systems moves toward smart and wearable electronics, effective use of thermal management materials is of critical importance due to the strong demand for the enhancement of power densities and miniaturization and weight reduction [1,2,3,4,5,6]
To clearly identify interfacial reconstruction in between the Cu matrix and the graphite oxide layers and, more importantly, to rationalize the structure formation driven during the spark plasma sintering (SPS) process, cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations were performed
Such these significant structural changes were made from pristine graphite to graphite oxide (GO), and to the reduced graphite oxide, which took place during the SPS process
Summary
As the trend in power electronics systems moves toward smart and wearable electronics, effective use of thermal management materials is of critical importance due to the strong demand for the enhancement of power densities and miniaturization and weight reduction [1,2,3,4,5,6]. When a polymeric thermal adhesive is applied for passively exchanging the heat at the interfacial region between the heat source and the carbon-based heat dissipater, undesired thermal stress and warpage in electronic components possibly takes place because of discrepancy in thermal expansion coefficients [3,19,20]. Another presumable issue in the solely used carbon-based materials is weak bonding with solders, leading to ascending thermal resistance [3,19,20]. We compared the thermal characteristics of G-peak shifts and strengths due to thermal reduction at the copper, graphite, and graphene interfaces in the composites
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