Effect of Graphene Nano-Sheets Additions on the Microstructure and Wear Behavior of Copper Matrix Nano-Composite

Maher Elmaghraby,A Abu-Oqaild,Omayma Elkady,Hossam Yehia

doi:10.21608/jpme.2018.42957

Abstract

Six samples of copper matrix composites contain different weight percentages of graphene that are 0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1 wt. % GNs were fabricated using the electro-less copper deposition followed by the powder metallurgy technique. The sintering process has proceeded in a hydrogen atmosphere furnace. The morphology and microstructure of the as-received powders, as well as the sintered samples, are examined using the scanning electron microscope. The chemical composition of the fabricated composites was evaluated by the EDAX analysis. The effect of GNs content on the hardness, wear rate The microstructure of the composites reveals a good distribution of the (GNs and MoS2) in the copper matrix. Also, good adhesion between GNs and the (Cu-10MoS2) matrix was achieved. The 0.4 wt. % GNs composite exhibits the highest hardness and the lowest wear rate.

Highlights

This work is part of a set of themes that aim at developing materials of low friction coefficient and high mechanical resistance in order to open the application fields for selflubricating materials
Three phases are observed from the microstructure, which are gray Cu matrix, white gray MoS2 reinforcement, and the changeable black graphene nano-sheets (GNs) reinforcement
The good adhesion may be due to the coating process, which increases the contact between the matrix and reinforcement

Summary

Introduction

This work is part of a set of themes that aim at developing materials of low friction coefficient and high mechanical resistance in order to open the application fields for selflubricating materials. Dry self-lubricating bearings have been used for decades in household equipments and in office slight equipments (printers, electric shavers, drills, blenders, among others) These materials have a high content of solid lubricant (15 to 35 vol %) and this results in a high degree of discontinuity of the metallic matrix leading to poor mechanical strength of composite. These materials cannot be used for many typical mechanical applications where it is necessary higher mechanical and wear resistance of the self-lubricating sintered material. Metal matrix composites which contain solid lubricants for high temperature applications and vacuum conditions are produced by powder metallurgy

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