The Microstructure and Properties of Graphene/Copper Composite Wires

Abstract

In this study, multilayer lamination welding was employed to prepare graphene/copper (Gr/Cu) composite billets from graphene-coated copper foils, followed by multi-pass cold drawing to produce Φ 1 mm Gr/Cu composite wires. Microstructure and property analyses in both the cold-drawn and annealed states show that the incorporation of graphene significantly improves the ductility and electrical conductivity of the copper wire. After annealing at 350 °C for 30 minutes, the composite wire demonstrates a tensile strength of 270 MPa and an electrical conductivity of 102.74% IACS, both superior to those of pure copper wire under identical conditions. At 150 °C, the electrical conductivity of the annealed composite wire reaches 72.60% IACS, notably higher than the 68.19% IACS of pure copper. The results suggest that graphene is uniformly distributed within the composite wire, with minimal impact on conductivity, while effectively refining the copper grain structure to enhance ductility. Moreover, graphene suppresses copper lattice vibrations at elevated temperatures, reducing the rate of conductivity degradation.

Keywords

copper-based composite wire / graphene / electrical conductivity / cold drawing / annealing

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Wuhan University of Technology and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, Part of Springer Nature