| Abstract |
| A three-dimensionally interconnected graphene-reinforced Cu (3Di Gr-Cu) composite was synthesized using a simple two-step process technique which involves the mechanical compaction of micron-sized Cu particles followed by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) at 995 ℃. The microstructural properties of pure Cu and the 3Di Gr-Cu composite were investigated by optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, and X-ray diffractometer. The electrical and corrosion behaviors of the 3Di Gr-Cu composite and Cu only, prepared by powder metallurgy (PM Cu), were studied and compared. The electrical conductivity (EC) of the 3Di Gr-Cu composites was found to be 38.8 MSm-1 at a carbon content of 73 ppm, and exhibited a 12% higher EC than the PM Cu. Due to the interconnected graphene around the Cu grains, the corrosion current density and corrosion rate of the 3Di Gr-Cu composite decreased by 29% and 40%, respectively, compared to the PM Cu. The EC of the 3Di Gr-Cu composite depended on the carbon content. The improvement in the EC of the 3Di Gr-Cu composite is attributed to the electron-carrying ability of the three-dimensionally interconnected graphene network (3DIGN) formed at the grain boundaries in the composite. The enhancement in corrosion resistance is due to the impermeability of graphene to various chemical species.
(Received May 17, 2021; Accepted August 11, 2021) |
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| Key Words |
| 3Di Gr-Cu, CVD, electrochemical corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity |
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