The Study of the Thermal Treatment on the Surface Microstructure and Electrical Conductivity of the Copper/Graphite Composites

Abstract

This research is aimed to analyze the effect of the migration mechanism of the copper layer deposited on the graphite surface using magnetron sputtering, with the influence on the microrelief structure and electrical properties of a copper-graphite composite. The research attempted to estimate the effect of copper migration on the microporosity structure, electrical conductivity, and specific surface area of a copper-graphite composite. The magnetron evaporation method was used to form 200 nm layers on graphite plate surface. The dimensions of irregularly shaped micro formations on the surface vary within the limits of 1-10 µm. By contrast, the measurements of Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area have demonstrated that the specific surface area of copper-graphite composites heated at 400 • C temperature is about 3 times smaller compared to the unheated ones, reaching about 6 m 2 /g. Copper-graphite composites had the highest electric conductivity of 5 S when composites were heat treated at temperature of 200 • C.