Hardness and thermal conductivity of Cu-carbon composites by using different carbon-based fillers

Nowadays copper matrix composites are of keen interest due to their increasing demand in thermal packaging systems and the electronic industry. In this study, Cu matrix composites are fabricated by using different fillers (graphite, reduced graphene oxide and graphene) by adopting the simple flake powder metallurgy method. SEM and XRD were done to study the microstructure analysis and diffraction pattern of powders and composites. Hardness and thermal conductivity of different Cu matrix composites were measured to see the effect of different fillers. It is found that the reduced graphene oxide gave better results compared to graphite and graphene when used as filler with Cu matrix. The Cu-rGO composites have excellent hardness and thermal conductivity values compared with Cu-GF and Cu-Gr composites as well as from pure Cu.