Abstract
Ti3AlC2 presents a hexagonal layered crystal structure and bridges the gap between metallic and ceramic properties, and Gadolinia (Gd2O3) has excellent thermodynamic stability, which make them potentially attractive as dispersive phases for Cu matrix composites. In this paper, Cu@Ti3AlC2-Gd2O3/Cu composites, Ti3AlC2-Gd2O3/Cu composites, and Gd2O3/Cu composites were prepared by electroless Cu plating, internal oxidation, and vacuum hot press sintering. The microstructure and the effect of the Cu plating on the properties of the Cu@Ti3AlC2-Gd2O3/Cu composites were discussed. The results showed that a Cu plating with a thickness of about 0.67 μm was successfully plated onto the surface of Ti3AlC2 particles. The ex situ Ti3AlC2 particles were distributed at the Cu grain boundary, while the in situ Gd2O3 particles with a grain size of 20 nm were dispersed in the Cu grains. The electroless Cu plating onto the surface of the Ti3AlC2 particles effectively reduces their surfactivity and improves the surface contacting state between the Cu@Ti3AlC2 particles and the Cu matrix, and reduces electron scattering, so that the tensile strength reached 378.9 MPa, meanwhile, the electrical conductivity and elongation of the Cu matrix composites was maintained at 93.6 IACS% and 17.6%.
Highlights
IntroductionBecause of the ease of fabrication, high thermal and electrical conductivities, and excellent corrosion resistance, copper and its alloys are widely used in industrial machinery such as heat exchangers, the divertor components such as fusion reactors, electrical equipment (wiring and motors), and construction for plumbing [1–5]
The compressive strength of an in situ (1.0 wt%) Al2O3/Cu composite synthesized from powders obtained by electrical explosion of wire was increased nearly 1.6 times compared with pure copper, but its electrical conductivity decreased from 95%IACS to 72%IACS [6]
With the electroless Cu plating onto the surface of the Ti3AlC2 particles, the surfactivity between the Cu@Ti3AlC2 particles and the Cu matrix was reduced, and a better surface contacting state was achieved after the sintering process, so that no interface debonding was formed between the Cu@Ti3AlC2 particles and the Cu matrix during the tensile proMaterials 2022, 15, x FOR PEcEeRsRsE.VHIEWigher tensile strength and elongation was achieved in the Cu@Ti31A4 olfC126-Gd2O3/Cu composite
Summary
Because of the ease of fabrication, high thermal and electrical conductivities, and excellent corrosion resistance, copper and its alloys are widely used in industrial machinery such as heat exchangers, the divertor components such as fusion reactors, electrical equipment (wiring and motors), and construction for plumbing [1–5]. Due to the limitation of in situ synthesized raw materials, reaction conditions, and reaction time, the content of in situ synthesized reinforcement phase is low, strengthening efficiency of the in situ reinforcement phase was limited, so the combination method of in situ synthesized and ex situ added reinforcement phase provides a way to prepare the particle-reinforced Cu matrix composites towards high tensile strength and high electrical conductivity, which was one innovation point of this paper. The other innovation point of this paper was to prepare a Cu matrix composite with improved strength and stable electrical conductivity, the approach was to introduce in situ Gd2O3 (internal oxidation) and ex situ Ti3AlC2 (directly added) particles into a Cu matrix, and a layer of Cu was coated onto the surface of the Ti3AlC2 particles before adding them into the Cu matrix to reduce their surfactivity and improve the surface contacting state between the Cu@Ti3AlC2 particles and the Cu matrix. The microstructure evolution and the effect of the Cu plating on the properties of the Cu@Ti3AlC2-Gd2O3/Cu composites were discussed
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