Creating defects on graphene basal-plane toward interface optimization of graphene/CuCr composites. (March 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chu, Ke; Wang, Jing; Liu, Ya-ping; Li, Yuan-bo; Jia, Cheng-chang; Zhang, Hu
• Is Part Of: Carbon. Volume 143(2019)
• Page Start: 85
• Page End: 96
• Publication Date: 2019-03
• Subjects: Carbon -- Periodicals; Carbone -- Périodiques; Koolstof; Toepassingen; Electronic journals; 546.681
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2018.10.095
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0008-6223

Abstract

Abstract: In-situ formation of appropriate interfacial carbides by matrix-alloying with carbide-forming elements offers an efficient approach to improve the interfacial bonding of graphene/CuX composites. However, the carbide formation commonly occurs at graphene edge/matrix interface, which is not enough to achieve the sufficient interfacial bonding because the vast majority of graphene/matrix interface is basal-plane/matrix interface rather than edge/matrix interface. To alleviate this limitation, we reported a new design of creating defects on graphene basal-plane (CDGB) to optimize the interface and mechanical properties of graphene/CuCr composites. Plasma treatment was employed to create the structural defects (∼7 nm nanopores) on graphene basal-plane. When incorporating the plasma-treated graphene into the CuCr matrix, the Cr7 C3 carbides were found to be in-situ formed at both basal-plane/matrix and edge/matrix interfaces. Ex-situ and in-situ tensile tests both demonstrated that the plasma-treated graphene led to the composite that showed a larger strength enhancement and a higher load transfer capability than untreated counterpart, which was ascribed to the largely improved interfacial bonding contributed by the Cr7 C3 formed at basal-plane/matrix interface. This study suggests that the CDBG via plasma treatment affords a feasible solution for the interface optimization of graphene/CuX composites with enhanced mechanical properties. Graphical abstract: