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. 2017 Dec 19;7(1):17836.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-18114-2.

Synergistic enhancing effect for mechanical and electrical properties of tungsten copper composites using spark plasma infiltrating sintering of copper-coated graphene

Wenge Chen  1 , Longlong Dong  2 , Jiaojiao Wang  3 , Ying Zuo  3 , Shuxin Ren  3 , Yongqing Fu  4
Affiliations

Synergistic enhancing effect for mechanical and electrical properties of tungsten copper composites using spark plasma infiltrating sintering of copper-coated graphene

Wenge Chen et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Successful applications of WCu alloys in high voltage electrical switches require their high strength and excellent conductivity. Unfortunately, the strategies for increasing their strength such as doping with fine particles and alloying often significantly decrease their conductivity. In this paper, we developed a new pathway for fabricating WCu alloys using spark plasma infiltrating sintering of copper-coated graphene (Cu@Gr) composite powders. Cu@Gr was found to partially prevent the formation of WC after sintering, and graphene was uniformly distributed on the surfaces of network Cu phases. Electrical conductivity of 38.512 M·S/m, thermal conductivity of 264 W·m-1·K-1 and microhardness of 278 HV were achieved for the sintered WCu composites doped with only 0.8 wt.% Cu@Gr powders, which showed 95.3%, 24.3%, 28% enhancement compared with those from the conventional sintering using the undoped WCu powders.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
TEM images of (a) graphene fabricated by oxidation reduction process using a green reducing agent. (b) AFM image of prepared graphene in Fig. 1(a) and the inset height profile shows that the thickness of graphene is ~1.5 nm. (c) Cu coated graphene (Cu@Gr) prepared by electroless plating method, and (d) a high-magnification image of Cu@Gr powder (inset is selective area diffraction patterns of Cu and graphene, respectively).
Figure 2
Figure 2
SEM images showing microstructures of Cu@Gr/WCu composites. (a) polished and etched cross-section; (b) fracture surfaces, and (c) EDS result of red rectangle in Fig. 2(a).
Figure 3
Figure 3
XRD patterns of (a) WCu composites, (b) doped with 0.8 wt.% graphene, and (c) doped with 0.8wt.% Cu@Gr.
Figure 4
Figure 4
TEM images of Cu@Gr/WCu composites doped with 0.8 wt.% Cu@Gr after SPS sintering. (a) 0.8 wt.% Cu@Gr/WCu composites. (b) Electron diffraction pattern and calibration of 1 in Fig. 4(a). (c) Electron diffraction pattern and calibration of 2 in Fig. 4(a). (d) High magnification of marked 3 zone in Fig. 4(a). (e) High-magnification images of marked 4 zone in Fig. 4(d). (f) Electron diffraction pattern and calibration of marked 4 zone in Fig. 4(d).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Diagram illustrating the proposed mechanism of coated powders during spark plasma infiltrating sintering.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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