This study focuses on the powder processing methodology (PPM) for the fabrication of metal matrix composite using Graphite flakes (Grf) reinforced Copper (Cu). The manufacturing route involved 1) a reductive treatment of Grf powder to purify and increase its quality, 2) the mixing of the Cu and the Grf (0 to 40 vol.%) powders with a fast and efficient resonant acoustic (RA) mixer, and finally 3) the cold and hot-pressing of composite powders. Comparison of PPM is made with literature and a usual method used in our laboratory. The quality of Grf after different steps was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy and phase compositions and microstructure of the composite materials were analyzed by XRD and SEM, respectively. It was shown that this new PPM demonstrated better composite structural and thermal properties even at low volume fraction of Grf with a maximum of 630 W.m-1 .K-1 obtained with 40 vol.% of Grf at 70 °C. This was possible thanks to our new PPM which allows getting lower defects in the Carbon lattice of Grf and oxygen content in the final composite materials.
Highlights: Dense Cu/40CF composite are fabricated by low temperature hydrothermal sintering at 265 °C and 250 MPa with 5 wt.% water. Thermal properties of Cu/40CF composite materials fabricated by low temperature hydrothermal sintering are isotropic 2 Hydrothermal sintering increases thermal conductivity and reduces coefficient of thermal expansion in comparison to uniaxial hot pressing Hydrothermal sintering improves mechanical hardness of Cu/40CF composite materials in comparison to uniaxial hot pressing
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