Fabrication of W-Cu/Lu<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> Composites with High Strength and Electrical Conductivity Prepared by Electroless Plating and Powder Metallurgy

Abstract

W–Cu (0, 0.25, 0.75, 1.5, and 3 wt.%)/Lu2O3 composite materials were prepared through electroless plating with simplified pretreatment method and powder metallurgy. The phases and morphologies of the W–Cu/Lu2O3 composites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. The relative density, microhardness, electrical conductivity, and bending strength of the sintered samples were examined. The experimental results show that W–Cu composites with uniform structures can be obtained with pretreated W using the simplified method, followed by electroless Cu plating. The microstructure and properties of the composites were significantly affected by the addition of Lu2O3 nanoparticles, resulting in high electrical conductivity and strength. The electrical conductivity of W–Cu/1.5 wt.% Lu2O3 composites reached 63.3%, which is higher than the national standard value of 50.71%. The bending strength of W–Cu/1.5 wt. % Lu2O3 reached 1306.7 MPa, which is 65.41% higher than the national standard. These results may be attributed to the uniform distribution of refined particles with Lu2O3 content increased to 1.5 wt. %.