Microstructure and sintering mechanism of C/Cu composites by mechanical alloying/spark plasma sintering. (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wang, Yong; Ran, Xu; Barber, Gary; Zou, Qian
• Is Part Of: Journal of composite materials. Volume 51:Number 21(2017)
• Page Start: 3065
• Page End: 3074
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: Mechanical alloying -- spark plasma sintering -- metal–matrix composite -- sintering ability -- dual-activation sintering mechanism; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Composites -- Périodiques; 620.118
• DOI: 10.1177/0021998316675398
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9983

Abstract

This paper investigated the microstructure transformation behavior of copper–graphite composites prepared via mechanical alloying/ spark plasma sintering (MA-SPS). The results revealed that the composite powder existed in the forms of nano/submicron composite particles and pure nanoparticles. The composite particles were totally bonded together via the MA-SPS process and showed a dense and fine microstructure. The grain shape was different from that of the milled powder particles. The microhardness values of Cu–9.7 at.% C, Cu–18.1 at.% C, and Cu–25.3 at.% C composites were enhanced greatly compared with pure copper. The enhancement is due to the combination of the MA induced by high-energy ball milling from MA and discharge activation induced by pulsed current discharge from SPS in the MA-SPS fabrication process.