Graphene-reinforced copper matrix composites: Insights into interfacial mechanical properties of the "bottom-up" hybrid configuration

L Fan and WJ Yao and YM Wang, DIAMOND AND RELATED MATERIALS, 118, 108519 (2021).

DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2021.108519

The spark plasma sintering (SPS) and in-situ chemical vapor deposition (CVD) are applied to prepare the graphene/copper composites (Cu/Gr). The effect of Gr-Cu powder on microstructure and mechanical properties of composites is fully discussed. The strengthening effect of different nano-materials on copper (Cu) matrix was studied to profound investigate the strengthening mechanism of graphene (Gr). The equivalent Young's modulus of Cu/Gr first increases and then decreases with the addition of Gr fraction. The molecular dynamic simulation and experiment results are consistent with the prediction trend of the modified Halpin-Tsai model. The normalized improvement degree based on experimental results and molecular dynamics simulation showed the Cu/Gr, Cu/DWCNTs, Cu/SWCNTs and Cu/SiC are 0.98, 0.91, 0.77 and 0.39, respectively. In addition, the relationships of the overall strength and the contribution of different strengthening components are closely related to the reinforce agent fraction. Load transfer, GND, grain refinement and Orowan strengthening together construct the strengthening mechanism of Gr reinforce agent. The load transfer strengthening of different strengthening nanomaterials for Cu/Gr, Cu/DWCNTs, Cu/SWCNTs and Cu/SiC are 0.12, 0.19, 0.16 and 0.14, respectively.

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