Ceramic particles reinforced copper matrix composites manufactured by advanced powder metallurgy:preparation, performance, and mechanisms

Copper matrix composites doped with ceramic particles are known to effectively enhance the mechanical properties,thermal expansion behavior and high-temperature stability of copper while maintaining high thermal and electrical conductivity.This greatly expands the applications of copper as a functional material in thermal and conductive components,including electronic packaging materials and heat sinks,brushes,integrated circuit lead frames.So far,endeavors have been focusing on how to choose suitable ceramic components and fully exert strengthening effect of ceramic particles in the copper matrix.This article reviews and analyzes the effects of preparation techniques and the characteristics of ceramic particles,including ceramic particle content,size,morphology and interfacial bonding,on the diathermancy,electrical conductivity and mechanical behavior of copper matrix composites.The corresponding models and influencing mechanisms are also elaborated in depth.This review contributes to a deep understanding of the strengthening mechanisms and microstructural regulation of ceramic particle reinforced copper matrix composites.By more precise design and manipulation of composite microstructure,the comprehensive properties could be further improved to meet the growing demands of copper matrix composites in a wide range of application fields.

Significant strengthening of copper-based composites using boron nitride nanotubes

Nanotubes, such as boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs), exhibit excellent mechanical properties. In this work, high-quality BNNTs were synthesized by ball milling and annealing. Subsequently, well-dispersed 3vol%BNNTs/Cu and 3vol%CNTs/Cu composites were successfully prepared using ball milling, spark plasma sintering, and followed by hot-rolling. Moreover, the mechanical properties and strengthening mechanisms of BNNTs/Cu and CNTs/Cu composites were compared and discussed in details. At 293 K,both BNNTs/Cu and CNTs/Cu composites exhibited similar ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of~404 MPa, which is approximately 170%higher than pure Cu. However, at 873 K, the UTS and yield strength of BNNTs/Cu are 27%and 29%higher than those of CNTs/Cu, respectively.This difference can be attributed to the stronger inter-walls shear resistance, higher thermomechanical stability of BNNTs, and stronger bonding at the BNNTs/Cu interface as compared to the CNTs/Cu interface. These findings provide valuable insights into the potential of BNNTs as an excellent reinforcement for metal matrix composites, particularly at high temperature.

Impact-abrasive Wear Behavior of ZTA and NbC Reinforced Fe60 Matrix Composites

The impact-abrasive wear behavior of ZTA(zirconia toughened alumina)particle(ZTAp)and NbC particle(NbCp)reinforced Fe60 matrix composites(ZTAp-NbCp/Fe60)were investigated.Specimens of pure Fe60 matrix material,NbCp reinforced Fe60 composite(NbCp/Fe60)and ZTAp-NbCp/Fe60 with different contents of ZTAp were prepared through vacuum sintering and tested on an MLD-10B Impact Wear Rig.As revealed by the results,NbCp could strengthen Fe60 matrix,and had fine grain strengthening effect on Fe60matrix.When the mass fraction of ZTAp was 5%-15%,the impact-abrasive wear performance of ZTAp-NbCp/Fe60 composites was better than that of Fe60 and NbCp/Fe60.When the mass fraction was 15%,the ZTApNbCp/Fe60 had the best performance.ZTAp could weaken the impact and wear effect of abrasive particles on the composite and protect the matrix.Cracks occured at the interface and at defects in the ZTAp.The former leaded to ZTAp shedding,while the latter leaded to ZTAp fracturing.In both cases,the performance of the composite material would decrease.

Fabrication and thermal conductivity of copper matrix composites reinforced by tungsten-coated carbon nanotubes

Carbon nanotubes （CNTs） were coated by tungsten using metal organic chemical vapor deposition. Magnetic stirring was employed to disperse the W-coated CNTs （W-CNTs） in a Cu matrix, and then, the mixed powders were consolidated by spark plasma sintering. The W-CNTs obtained a uniform dispersion within the Cu matrix when the W-CNT content was less than 5.0vo1%, but high content of W-CNTs （10vol%） resulted in the presence of clusters. The W-CNT/Cu composites containing low content of W-CNTs （〈5.0vol%） exhibited a higher thermal conductivity than the sintered pure Cu, while the CNT/Cu composites exhibited no increase in thermal conductivity after the incorporation of uncoated CNTs. The W-CNT content was found to play a crucial role in determining the thermal conductivity of the W-CNT/Cu composites. The thermal conductivity of the W-CNT/Cu composites increased first and then decreased with the W-CNT content increasing. When the W-CNT content was 2.5vo1%, the W-CNT/Cu composite obtained the maximum value of thermal conductivity. The thermal resistance of the （W-CNT）-Cu interface was predicted in terms of Maxwell-Gamett effective medium approximation, and its calculated value was about 3.0× 10-9 m2.K.W-l.

Structures and Properties of Iron Matrix Composites with Tungsten Carbide Particle by EPC-V Process

In this paper the Expendable Pattern Casting with dry sand Vacuum(EPC-V) process is used to manufacture iron matrix composites with tungsten carbide particle.Microstructures of the composites layers were analyzed.The abrasive wear resistance of the composites layers were tested and compared with that of high chromium cast iron.The results show that the iron matrix composites with tungsten carbide particle have high hardness.The abrasive wear resistance of composites with tungsten carbide particle is higher than that of high chromium cast iron.The properties of the matrix materials have been improved remarkably.

Effects of heat treatment on mechanical properties and microstructure of tungsten fiber reinforced grey cast iron matrix composites

In this study,grey cast iron matrix composites reinforced by different volume fractions of tungsten fibers(Vr=0.95%,1.90%,2.85%,3.80%)were investigated in as-cast and under the heat treatment temperatures of 1,000℃and 1,100℃.The microstructure and mechanical properties of the composites were analyzed and tested by means of SEM,micro-hardness tester and three-point bend testing.The results show that with increasing of the volume fraction of tungsten fibers,the composites reinforced by the tungsten fiber have higher flexural strength and modulus than that of cast iron without reinforcement,and the flexural strength increases with the increasing of heat treatment temperatures.Due to diffusion reaction between matrix and reinforcing phases,the process of heat treatment,the number of graphite flakes in the matrix seemingly becomes lower;and some hard carbide particles are formed around the residual tungsten fibers.Not only does the hardness of both matrix and reinforcement change tremendously,but also the region of reinforcement is also extended from the original 0.11 mm to 0.19 mm in radius.

Microstructure and properties of copper matrix composites reinforced by nano-SiC and nano-Al_2O_3 particles

Copper/silicon carbide composites （Cu/SiC） and copper/alumina composites （Cu/Al2O3） were fabricated by the powder metallurgy method. The influence of reinforcement particles contents on the relevant properties of the composites and the microstructure of Cu/SiC and Cu/Al2O3 composites were studied. The reinforcement effects of nano-SiC and nano-Al2O3 particles were compared. The experimental results show that with the increase of the amount of nano-SiC and nano-Al2O3 particles, the density of the both composites decreases, the resistivity increases, whereas the hardness increases firstly and then drops. The softening temperatures of the composites are above 700℃ which is far higher than that of the pure copper, leading to the improvement of the thermal stability of the composites at high temperatures. Considering all factors, the reinforcement effects of nano-SiC are better than those of nano-Al2O3 when their contents are the same in the copper matrix.

Synergistic regulation of current-carrying wear performance of resin matrix carbon brush composites with tungsten copper composite powder

Resin matrix carbon brush composites(RMCBCs)are critical materials for high-powered electric tools.However,effectively improving their wear resistance and heat dissipation remains a challenge.RMCBCs prepared with flake graphite powders that were evenly loaded with tungsten copper composite powder(RMCBCs-W@Cu)exhibited a low wear rate of 1.63 mm^(3)/h,exhibiting 48.6%reduction in the wear rate relative to RCMBCs without additives(RMCBCs-0).In addition,RMCBCs-W@Cu achieved a low friction coefficient of 0.243 and low electric spark grade.These findings indicate that tungsten copper composite powders provide particle reinforcement and generate a gradation effect for the epoxy resin(i.e.,connecting phase)in RMCBCs,which weakens the wear of RMCBCs caused by fatigue under a cyclic current-carrying wear.

Thermo-physical Properties of Continuous Carbon Fiber Reinforced Copper Matrix Composites

Continuous carbon fiber reinforced copper matrix composites with 70%(volume fraction) of carbon fibers prepared by squeeze casting technique have been used for investigation of the coefficient of thermal expansion(CTE) and thermal conductivity.Thermo-physical properties have been measured in both,longitudinal and transversal directions to the fiber orientation.The results showed that Cf/Cu composites may be a suitable candidate for heat sinks because of its good thermo-physical properties e.g.the low CTE(4.18×10-6/K) in longitudinal orientation and(14.98×10-6/K) in transversal orientation at the range of 20-50℃,a good thermal conductivity(87.2 W/m·K) in longitudinal orientation and(58.2 W/m·K) in transversal orientation.Measured CTE and thermal conductivity values are compared with those predicted by several well-known models.Eshelby model gave better results for prediction of the CTE and thermal conductivity of the unidirectional composites.

Fabrication of superaligned carbon nanotubes reinforced copper matrix laminar composite by electrodeposition

A new kind of laminar metal matrix nanocomposite（MMC） was fabricated by an electrodeposition process with copper and superaligned carbon nanotubes film（SACNT film）.The SACNT film was put on a titanium plate and then a layer of copper was electrodeposited on it.By repeating the above process,the laminar Cu/SACNT composite which contains dozens or hundreds of layers of copper and SACNT films was obtained.The thickness of a single copper layer was controlled by adjusting the process parameter easily and the thinnest layer is less than 2 μm.The microscopic observation shows that the directional alignment structure of SACNT is retained in the composite perfectly.The mechanical and electrical properties testing results show that the tensile and yield strengths of composites are improved obviously compared with those of pure copper,and the high conductivity is retained.This technology is a potential method to make applicable MMC which characterizes high volume fraction and directional alignment of carbon nanotubes.

Thermal conductivity of diamond/copper composites with a bimodal distribution of diamond particle sizes prepared by pressure infiltration method

The thermal conductivity of diamond/copper composites with bimodal particle sizes was studied. The composites were prepared through pressure infiltration of liquid copper into diamond preforms with a mixture of 40 and 100 pm-size diamonds. The permeability of the preforms with different coarse-to-fine volume ratios of diamonds was investigated. The thermal conductivity of the diamond/copper composites with bimodal size distribution was compared to the theoretical value derived from an analytical model developed by Chu. It is predicted that the diamond/copper composites could reach a higher thermal conductivity and their surface roughness could be improved by applying bimodal diamond particle sizes.

Effect of aluminum borate whisker coating on interface and mechanical properties of 6061Al matrix composites

Copper coating was deposited on the surface of aluminum borate whisker by an electroless plating method.This method was used to modify the interfacial property of squeeze-casting aluminum borate whisker reinforced 6061Al matrix composite.Interface observation indicates that the spinel reaction(MgAl2O4) is hindered by the copper coating,and the difference in interfacial reaction degree affects the tensile property and aging behavior of the composite.For the composite with less spinel reaction(MgAl2O4),its peak-aging process are postponed due to less depletion of magnesium.On the fracture surface of copper-coated composite dimples and fractures of whiskers are more,but on the fracture surface of uncoated composite pull-out of whiskers are more than that on the coated one.In uncoated composite the fracture generally originates from the near-interface-region.

Sintering behavior and thermal conductivity of nickel-coated graphite flake/copper composites fabricated by spark plasma sintering

Nickel-coated graphite flakes/copper（GN/Cu） composites were fabricated by spark plasma sintering with the surface of graphite flakes（GFs） being modified by Ni–P electroless plating. The effects of the phase transition of the amorphous Ni–P plating and of Ni diffusion into the Cu matrix on the densification behavior, interfacial microstructure, and thermal conductivity（TC） of the GN/Cu composites were systematically investigated. The introduction of Ni–P electroless plating efficiently reduced the densification temperature of uncoated GF/Cu composites from 850 to 650℃ and slightly increased the TC of the X–Y basal plane of the GF/Cu composites with 20 vol%–30 vol% graphite flakes. However, when the graphite flake content was greater than 30 vol%, the TC of the GF/Cu composites decreased with the introduction of Ni–P plating as a result of the combined effect of the improved heat-transfer interface with the transition layer, P generated at the interface, and the diffusion of Ni into the matrix. Given the effect of the Ni content on the TC of the Cu matrix and on the interface thermal resistance, a modified effective medium approximation model was used to predict the TC of the prepared GF/Cu composites.

Synthesis and Tribological Properties of Copper-alumina Nanocomposites Prepared by Coprecipitation Technique

The objective of this work is to study the synthesis of copper-alumina nanocomposites using the coprecipitation process and hot-pressing method, and investigate their mechanical properties. The effects of calcination temperature on the average size of composite particles and chemical composition after calcination were also analyzed. The sintering parameters including sintering temperature, hot pressure and packing time were optimized to fabricate the alumina nanoparticles reinforced copper matrix composites（CMCs）. The density, microhardness and tribological properties of the CMCs reinforced with 1 wt%, 2 wt%, 3 wt%, 4 wt% and 5 wt% of alumina nanoparticles were investigated correspondingly. The results showed that the optimum preparation parameters for the CMCs were 900 ℃ of hot pressing temperature, 27.5 MPa of hot pressure and 2 hrs of packing time. The CMC reinforced with 2 wt% of alumina nanoparticles had the lowest wear rate, with the relative wear resistance of 3.13.

Hybrid effect on mechanical properties and high-temperature performance of copper matrix composite reinforced with micro-nano dual-scale particles

A dual-scale hybrid HfB_(2)/Cu-Hf composite with HfB_(2) microparticles and Cu_(5) Hf nanoprecipitates was designed and prepared.The contribution of the hybrid effect to the mechanical properties and high-temperature performances was studied from macro and micro perspectives,respectively.The hybrid of dual-scale particles can make the strain distribution of the composite at the early deformation stage more uniform and delay the strain concentration caused by the HfB_(2) particle.The dislocation pinning of HfB_(2) particles and the coherent strengthening of Cu_(5) Hf nanoprecipitates simultaneously play a strengthening role,but the strength of the hybrid composite is not a simple superposition of two strengthening mod-els.In addition,both Cu_(5) Hf nanoprecipitates and HfB_(2) microparticles contribute to the high-temperature performance of the composite,the growth and phase transition of nanoprecipitates at high temperature will reduce their contribution to strength,while the stable HfB_(2) particles can inhibit the coarsening of matrix grains and maintain the high-density geometrically necessary dislocations(GNDs)in the matrix,which ensures more excellent high-temperature resistance of the hybrid composite.As a result,the hy-brid structure can simultaneously possess the advantages of multiple reinforcements and make up for the shortcomings of each other.Finally,a copper matrix composite with high strength,high conductivity,and excellent high-temperature performance is displayed.

Selective interfacial bonding and thermal conductivity of diamond/Cu-alloy composites prepared by HPHT technique

Cu-based and Cu-alloy-based diamond composites were made by high-pressure-high-temperature （HPHT） sintering with the aim of maximizing the thermal conductivity of the composites. Improvements in interfacial bonding strength and thermo-physical properties of the composites were achieved using an atomized copper alloy with minor additions of Co, Cr, 13, and Ti. The thermal conductivity （TC） oh- mined exhibited as high as 688 W.m-1.K-1, but also as low as 325 W.m-1.K-l. A large variation in TC can be rationalized by the discrepancy of diamond-matrix interfacial bonding. It was found from fractography that preferential bonding between diamond and the Cu-alloy matrix occurred only on the diamond {100} faces. EDS analysis and Raman spectra suggested that selective interfacial bonding may be attributed to amorphous carbon increasing the wettability between diamond and the Cu-alloy matrix. Amorphous carbon was found to significantly affect the TC of the composite by interface modification.

Effect of sintering parameters on the microstructure and thermal conductivity of diamond/Cu composites prepared by high pressure and high temperature infiltration

Pure Cu composites reinforced with diamond particles were fabricated by a high pressure and high temperature （HPHT） infiltration technique. Their microstructural evolution and thermal conductivity were presented as a function of sintering parameters （temperature, pressure, and time）. The improvement in interfacial bonding strength and the maximum thermM conductivity of 750 W/（m.K） were achieved at the optimal sintering parameters of 1200℃, 6 GPa and 10 min. It is found that the thermal conductivity of the composites depends strongly on sintering pressure. When the sintering pressure is above 6 GPa, the diamond skeleton is detected, which greatly contributes to the excellent thermal conductivity.

Tribological behavior of self lubricating Cu/MoS_2 composites fabricated by powder metallurgy

The effects of MoS2 content on microstructure, density, hardness and wear resistance of pure copper were studied. Copper-based composites containing 0-10%（mass fraction） MoS2 particles were fabricated by mechanical milling and hot pressing from pure copper and MoS2 powders. Wear resistance was evaluated in dry sliding condition using a pin on disk configuration at a constant sliding speed of 0.2 m/s. Hardness measurements showed a critical MoS2 content of 2.5% at which a hardness peak was attained. Regardless of the applied normal load, the lowest coefficient of friction and wear loss were attained for Cu/2.5 MoS2 composite. While coefficient of friction decreased when the applied normal load was raised from 1 to 4 N at any reinforcement content, the wear volume increased with increasing normal load. SEM micrographs from the worn surfaces and debris revealed that the wear mechanism was changed from mainly adhesion in pure copper to a combination of abrasion and delamination in Cu/MoS2 composites.

Influence of nano-Al_2O_3-reinforced oxide-dispersion-strengthened Cu on the mechanical and tribological properties of Cu-based composites

The mechanical and tribological properties of Cu-based powder metallurgy （P/M） friction composites containing 10wt%-50wt% oxide-dispersion-strengthened （ODS） Cu reinforced with nano-Al2O3 were investigated. Additionally, the friction and wear behaviors as well as the wear mechanism of the Cu-based composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy （SEM） in conjunction with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （EDS） elemental mapping. The results indicated that the Cu-based friction composite containing 30wt% ODS Cu exhibited the highest hardness and shear strength. The average and instantaneous friction coefficient curves of this sample, when operated in a high-speed train at a speed of 300 km/h, were similar to those of a commercial disc brake pad produced by Knorr-Bremse AG （Germany）. Additionally, the lowest linear wear loss of the obtained samples was （0.008 ± 0.001） mm per time per face, which is much lower than that of the Knorr-Bremse pad （（0.01 ± 0.001） mm）. The excellent performance of the developed pad is a consequence of the formation of a dense oxide composite layer and its close combination with the pad body.

Pressure infiltrated Cu/diamond composites for LED applications

Diamond reinforced copper （Cu/diamond） composites were prepared by a pressure infilla＇ation technique. The composites show a super high conductivity of 713 W.m-1.K-1 in combination with an extremely low coefficient of thermal expansion （CTE） of 7.72 × 10-6 K-1 （25-100℃）, which are achieved by modifying the copper matrix with adding 0.3 wt.% of boron to get a good thermal contact between the matrix and the diamond particles. By adopting a series of postmachining techniques the composites were made into near-net-shape parts, and an electroless silver coating was also successfully plated on the composites. Finally, their potential applications in the thermal management of fight emitting diodes （LED） were illustrated via prototype examples.