Increasing density is the best way to increase the performance of powder metallurgy
materials. Conventional powder metallurgy processing can produce copper green compacts with
density less than 8.3g/cm3 (a relative density of 93%). Performances of these conventionally
compacted materials are substantially lower than their full density counterparts. Warm compaction,
which is a simple and economical forming process to prepare high density powder metallurgy parts
or materials, was employed to develop a Ti3SiC2 particulate reinforced copper matrix composite
with high strength, high electrical conductivity and good tribological behaviors. Ti3SiC2 particulate
reinforced copper matrix composites, with 1.25, 2.5 and 5 mass% Ti3SiC2 were prepared by
compacting powder with a pressure of 700 MPa at 145°C, then sintered at 1000°C under cracked
ammonia atmosphere for 60 minutes. Their density, electrical conductivity and ultimate tensile
strength decrease with the increase in particulate concentration, while hardness increases with the
increase in particulate concentration. A small addition of Ti3SiC2 particulate can increase the
hardness of the composite without losing much of electrical conductivity. The composite containing
1.25 mass% Ti3SiC2 has an ultimate tensile strength of 158 MPa, a hardness of HB 58, and an
electrical resistivity of 3.91 x 10-8 Ω.m.
A nano-micro dual-scale particulate-reinforced copper matrix composite with high strength, high electrical conductivity and superior wear resistance