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A novel microstructured catalyst that consists of Cu/ZnO catalyst powders and ceramic fibers was successfully prepared using pulp fibers as a tentative matrix by a papermaking technique. As-prepared material, called a paper-structured catalyst, possessed porous microstructure with layered ceramic fiber networks (average pore size ca. 20 μm, porosity ca. 50%). In the process of methanol autothermal reforming (ATR) to produce hydrogen, paper-structured catalysts demonstrated both high methanol conversion and low concentration of undesirable carbon monoxide as compared with catalyst powders and pellets. The catalytic performance of paper-structured catalysts depended on the use of pulp fibers, which were added in the paper-forming process and finally removed by thermal treatment before ATR performance tests. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and mercury intrusion analysis suggested that the tentative pulp fiber matrix played a significant role in regulating the fiber-network microstructure inside paper composites. Various metallic filters with different average pore sizes, used as supports for Cu/ZnO catalysts, were subjected to ATR performance tests for elucidating the pore effects. The tests indicated that the pore sizes of catalyst support had critical effects on the catalytic efficiency: the maximum hydrogen production was achieved by metallic filters with an average pore size of 20 μm. These results suggested that the paper-specific microstructures contributed to form a suitable catalytic reaction environment, possibly by promoting efficient diffusion of heat and reactants. The paper-structured catalyst with a regular pore microstructure is expected to be a promising catalytic material to provide both practical utility and high efficiency in the catalytic gas-reforming process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric loss of Cu with high thermal conductivity is large at high frequency, which cannot meet the performance requirements in high-integrated circuits. There is an urgent need for materials to reduce its dielectric loss. In this paper, the thermal conductivity and dielectric properties of the AlN coating-Cu substrate system were controlled by changing the N2 pressure. The results showed that the crystallinity of hcp-AlN in AlN coating increased significantly when the proportion of N2 pressure was increased. With the increase of the N2 pressure, the particle size on the surface and the roughness of the coating improved. The AlN coating prepared at high N2 pressure had high dielectric constant and low dielectric loss at high frequency compared to those of the coatings prepared at low N2 pressure. At the same time, the AlN coating prepared under high N2 pressure on the Cu substrate did not decrease the thermal conductivity of Cu substrate. The AlN-Cu system prepared in this paper had high thermal conductivity and good dielectric properties, providing theoretical guidance for integrated circuit packaging and capacitor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The regulation of hydrogen content in the continuous casting process is conducive to the reduction of pore defects in the casting billet. In this paper, the influence of negative pressure (NP) and continuous casting speed (CCS) on hydrogen content in copper rod billet prepared by negative pressure continuous casting (NPCC) technique was analyzed, and the mechanism of the coordinated coupling of NP and melt flow on hydrogen removal was revealed. It is clarified that with the CCS of 20 mm min−1 and an increase in the NP value from − 20 to − 80 kPa, the hydrogen content is reduced from 1.0 to 0.3 ppm. The coordinated action of NP and melt flow induced by CCS can minimize the hydrogen content. When the NP value is − 80 kPa and the CCS is 10 mm min−1, the hydrogen content is as low as 0.2 ppm, and the hydrogen removal rate is 85.7%. The larger the NP, the smaller the critical nucleation radius of the hydrogen bubble, and the larger the growth rate of the hydrogen bubble. The coupling of the NP field and flow field can make the melt which is difficult to nucleate and grow of the hydrogen bubble flow to the position which is easy to nucleate and grow. The effect of the vortex fields in the purification chamber on the removal of hydrogen is not affected by the CCS, but the CCS affects the floating of hydrogen at the solidification front, which leads to a small increase in the hydrogen content with the increase of the CCS. Our study provides a theoretical basis for the preparation of high-quality metal billets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the mechanical damage behavior is investigated based on the characteristic roughness on the surface and the orientation of superficial structures. The main goal is to explore the surface roughness on mechanically loaded copper conductors as a lifetime indicator. For this purpose, copper conductors are mechanically stressed in accordance with EN 50,396 and then examined metallographically and microscopically. The microstructure examination shows that the roughness is caused by material extrusion and cracks due to work hardening in the surface area. Using confocal microscopy, it is shown for the first time that significant formation of surface roughness takes place over the service life of copper conductors. The roughness increases monotonically, but not linearly with number of cycles, due to internal microstructural processes and can be divided into three sections. First inspections of the conductor surface over lifetime show a correlation between the intensity of structures orientated 45° to the loading direction and the roughness. This phenomenon, already known from microscopic slip lines, is thus also evident in macroscopic roughness formation and is well founded by the research theory on material extrusion along dislocation lines. In summary, a lifetime determination is possible based on its developing roughness which enables the utilization as a sensor element. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the mechanisms behind sintering Cu-Ag core–shell nanoparticles can help us optimize the sintering process parameters and design the core–shell structure to achieve the desired sintering structure. In this paper, we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the sintering behaviors and mechanisms of CS NPs, taking into account the effects of shell thickness, particle size, and temperature. Our results revealed that dislocation loops in Cu-Ag CS NPs played a crucial role in sintering by emitting dislocations that facilitated crystal evolution, thereby reducing the number of amorphous structures. The state of dislocation loops could be controlled by shell thickness and NP size. As the shell thickness decreased to 0.5 nm, the structure of the dislocation loops could not be generated due to the extremely chaotic and thin Ag atoms. Furthermore, for NPs of the same size, the CS NP with a 0.5-nm shell thickness was the most active. Despite the neck not consisting of a Cu core, the Cu core, particularly its interface, could still participate in the sintering process. At 900 K, limited interface diffusion could be activated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impact of solute Al on the penetration of Cu atoms into the Fe grain boundary (GB) in the Fe–Cu embrittlement system was investigated by performing molecular dynamics simulations. Furthermore, the first principle density functional theory calculation was also employed to determine the binding properties and the electronic structure of GBs doped with solute atoms. The inhibition mechanism of liquid metal embrittlement (LME) cracks in the Fe–Cu system by Al was analyzed at the atomic scale by conducting simulations and calculations. The results show that the diffusion rate of Al along with the GB direction was much higher than that of Cu, and the preferential penetration and segregation of Al atoms acted as a barrier layer. Moreover, the addition of Al reduced the potential energy of Cu atoms, thus stabilizing their motion. These factors significantly inhibited the diffusion of Cu atoms along with the GB direction. The binding property of Fe GB doped with a high concentration of Cu was severely deteriorated, while the Al doping improved the atomic bonding. GBs with higher binding properties are less susceptible to fracture and groove under the application of tensile stress. This paper presents a novel perspective on the inhibition mechanism of LME cracks by doping a third component to inhibit the penetration of embrittlement atoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper/steel composite is a kind of composite with excellent performance and broad application prospects. In this paper, the micro-morphology and structure of the interface of copper/steel composite prepared by the hot-dip casting were observed by scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope, and the formation mechanism of the interface area was explored. The results show that the hot-dip casting temperature has a great influence on the micro-structure and morphology of the copper/steel interface area. When the hot-dip casting temperature is lower than 1125 °C, the copper/steel interface area is basically in a straight line. Even if the hot-dip casting time is extended, the interface characteristics change little. At 1100 °C, the copper-rich phase precipitated at the interface area is the coherent precipitates of Cu and BCC-Fe, with the crystal orientation <110> and the diameter about 10 nm ~ 30 nm. When the hot-dip casting temperature reaches 1150 °C, the copper/steel interface area begins to appear new micro-morphology, and the range of new micro-morphology becomes larger and larger with the increase in the hot-dip casting temperature and the extension of the hot-dip casting time. At 1200 °C, the copper-rich phase precipitated at the interface is the coherent precipitates of FCC-Cu and FCC-Fe, with the crystal orientation <100> and the size similar to that at 1100 °C. In the process of the hot-dip casting, the formation of the copper/steel interface area experienced three stages: the co-temperature of copper/steel and the wetting of copper liquid on solid steel, the formation and transformation of the solid–liquid mixed layer between steel and copper liquid and the evolution stage of the liquid–solid mixed layer during cooling and solidification. This kind of interface zone with gradual structure tightly connects the steel matrix and solidified copper together, to form a copper/steel composite with strong bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the excellent thermoelectric properties and low sintering temperature, nano-Ag paste is a promising die-attach material for high power electronic device. Unfortunately, it is difficult to resolve the critical issues including poor interfacial wettability, high porosity and poor high-temperature reliability of sintered nano-Ag joint. In this study, a novel bonding method was proposed to solve these problems by introducing Sn into the nano-Ag joint through the transient-liquid-phase (TLP) bonding technology. The Ag-Sn joint reported in this paper maintained excellent mechanical properties after high temperature aging and thermal shock test. The addition of Sn reduced the porosity of nano-Ag joint and improved the wettability of bonded interface. After aging at 200 °C for 2000 h, the shear strength still remains higher than 50 MPa. Besides, this bonding approach resolves the oxidization problem of Cu substrate at high temperature. The molecular dynamics (MD) simulation results indicate the addition of Sn could effectively inhibit the permeation of oxygen into the interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we proposed rapid laser-induced synthesis of copper micropatterns on the surface of oxide glass from deep eutectic solvents (DESs) consisting of choline chloride, citric or tartaric acid, and copper acetate as the copper plating solutions. It was shown that upon the 532-nm continuos wave laser irradiation, it is possible to increase the deposition rate of copper and create micropatterns with a resistance close to the value of pure metal together with high adhesion to the substrate surface. This metallization method is favorable for the practical use of copper patterns, including in the production of new printable microelectronic devices. Thus, we demonstrated the possibility of copper deposition on arbitrary three-dimensional surfaces. Moreover, the resulting copper micropatterns were tested as working electrodes for non-enzymatic glucose. Finally, the proposed technology can be successfully used for the design and development of sensor platforms for the electrochemical analysis and microelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, high-density (60−x)Fe−Cr−Co−xCu (x: 0–6 wt.%) permanent magnet alloys were fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) in-situ alloying technique, and the effects of Cu content on the microstructure, magnetic, and mechanical properties of the alloy were systematically investigated. The addition of 2 wt.% Cu enhanced the coercivity H c and the energy product (B H) max of the alloy in the isotropic state by 19.4 and 27.9%, respectively, compared to the alloy without Cu. The impacts of Cu content on the magnetic properties were investigated by combining experimental results and first-principles calculations. Furthermore, the addition of Cu improved the yield strength of the alloy, and the strengthening mechanism was analyzed in detail. The yield strength of the alloy with 2 wt.% Cu reached 908 MPa, representing a notable 7% increase relative to the Cu-free alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous downsizing of solder joints, the influence of the grain characteristics of the under bump metallization (UBMs) on the interfacial reaction is exposed. In this paper, the effect of grain characteristics of Cu UBM on the growth of interfacial intermetallic compounds and the formation of Kirkendall voids in Cu/Sn/Cu micro solder joints during isothermal aging at 150 °C was investigated. Electroplated polycrystalline Cu (EP-Cu), (111) single crystal Cu ((111) Cu), and (111) nano-twinned Cu ((111) nt-Cu) were selected as UBMs. After reflow soldering, the Cu6Sn5 grains formed on (111) nt-Cu were near to the orientation (2 1 - 1 - 3) , while those were randomly formed on both EP-Cu and (111) Cu. During isothermal aging, the Cu6Sn5 grains exhibited the highest growth rate on (111) nt-Cu UBM, and the slowest growth rate on (111) Cu UBM, due to the differing number of diffusion routes among the three Cu UBMs with distinct grain characteristics. Furthermore, no Kirkendall voids were detected on the (111) Cu UBM, however, a significant number of Kirkendall voids were identified on the (111) nt-Cu UBM, which can be attributed to the diffusion path and impurities present in the three Cu UBMs. The results will offer theoretical and practical recommendations for the selection of Cu UBMs for micro solder joints in 3D packaging interconnection technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is a sustainable and green desalination method with great prospects for development in today's severe water shortage problem. In this paper, a novel composite aerogel was prepared by hydrothermal method with sodium alginate (SA) and Cu2+ in the preparation process using reduced graphene oxide as photothermal material and cellulose nanofibers as substrate. The good hydrophilicity of nanocellulose makes the composite aerogel have strong capillary action and continuous water transport. The gel formed by ion exchange between SA and Cu2+ greatly improves dry and wet mechanical strength of the composite aerogel and ensures the stability of the evaporator for multiple recycling. Copper is doped by reduction of copper ion complexes and reduced graphene oxide have a synergistic effect to increase the photothermal response rate of the composite aerogel of 1.446 kg m−2 h−1 with evaporation efficiency of 84.87% under one standard solar irradiation. In addition, the purification of heavy metal ions, dye wastewater as well as acid and alkali solutions also has excellent results. It is expected that this study will provide some new ideas for the fields of seawater desalination and wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Ni in Ag–Cu filler on the wetting and brazing characterization of stainless steel was studied by means of wetting test and brazing test under high vacuum condition. The wettability of filler metal and the joint strength were improved after adding Ni in Ag–Cu filler. The filler penetrates into stainless steel and the topmost steel grains separate from the substrate, exposing the metal surface without oxide film after adding Ni, which leads to the reduction in contact angle. The interdiffusion between FM and SS is enhanced after adding Ni, which leads to further reduction in contact angle. At wetting temperature, large amount of Ni in liquid enriched at solid–liquid interface, increasing the Cu content in liquid near the interface to form Cu-rich liquid, which caused the penetration of liquid filler. Cu first penetrates into steel grain boundary, which provides a path for Ni diffusion into stainless steel. After the oxide film was removed, a large number of Ni directly diffused into stainless steel to form (γ-Fe, Ni) layer on stainless steel surface. Cu in liquid can directly diffuse into (γ-Fe, Ni). Stainless steel can dissolve in Cu-rich liquid with high Ni content. In the absence of Ni, FM/SS interface is the weakest location of the joint. After adding Ni in filler, the formation of Cu solid solution at FM/SS interface and the enhancement of interdiffusion between FM and SS strengthen the FM/SS interface, leading to the increase in joint strength. The results in this paper suggest Ni is beneficial for brazing stainless steel by Ag–Cu alloy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demolding process of electroforming technology in fabricating microstructured optical-functional thin films produces the problem of excessive bonding between the metal substrate and the metal replica, which triggers the deformation of the microstructure and the reduction of precision, and the deposition of Cr–O–C discrete nuclei at the interface can play a good role in assisting the demolding effect. In this paper, the tensile deformation of polycrystalline Cu/Ni and Cu/Cr–O–C/Ni composites is investigated using molecular dynamics methods. The results show that the Cu/Ni model produces a large number of HCP structures during stretching, with holes at the interface and a large number of Cu atoms transferring to the Ni layer. The addition of the Cr–O–C layer reduces the yield strength of the Cu/Cr–O–C/Ni model by 26.41%, and at the same time, the dislocation proliferation at the interface is reduced, and the fracture is at the centralized interface, and the fracture time is reduced by 90.8%. The higher number of Cr–O–C atoms at the interface decreases the transfer of Cu atoms to the Ni layer. The results provide a possible explanation for the Cr–O–C layer-assisted precision electrodeposition debonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, 50 ... 680 nm thick AlN-Al2O3 coatings are deposited by magnetron sputtering on the surface of a steel substrate and a piece of copper is melted on top of the ceramic. Upon heating the ceramic layer is cracked, and the phase inversion of the two top phases from steel/ceramic/copper configuration to the steel/copper/ceramic configuration takes place within 30 s of liquid time of copper. This phase inversion process is accompanied by a Gibbs energy change of about − 1.78 J/m2, due to good wettability of solid deoxidized steel by liquid copper in contrary to poor wettability of the ceramic by the copper. When copper is melted on AlN-Al2O3 coating with its thicknesses smaller than a critical value of about 170 ± 60 nm, liquid copper droplets hanging down into the cracks within the ceramic reach the solid steel surface at the bottom of the cracks, thus the flow of Cu down along the cracks is enabled. However, when copper is melted on AlN-Al2O3 with its thickness larger than the critical value of 170 ± 60 nm, Cu first forms a non-wetting droplet on top of the ceramics, and only after a certain incubation time it starts flowing down the cracks. This incubation time was found to depend linearly on the thickness of the ceramic, as cracks are filled from the bottom upwards by liquid copper via the evaporation–condensation mechanism. By the end of the process, the steel/copper/ceramic configuration is further stabilized by gravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, microfibrillated cellulose (MFC) and dendritic copper were used as binder and conductive phase for the elaboration of self-standing conductive films and coatings. A filtration technique was used to prepare MFC/Cu films from particle dispersions in water and ethanol. In aqueous slurries copper oxidized and an additional corona treatment or the use of zinc particles as sacrificial anode were necessary to obtain films with conductivities ranging from 70 to 2500 S m-1, respectively. In ethanol-based MFC/Cu slurries, copper was subjected to limited oxidation. However, the low packing density of conductive particles (below the percolation threshold) led to resistive films which, after densification by calendering, displayed extremely high conductivities, up to 70000 S m-1. Aqueous MFC/Cu slurries were successfully used for the deposition of conductive coatings on copy paper by Mayer rod coating and screen printing, which were subsequently treated by corona discharge and calendering. The obtained coatings displayed intermediate conductivity (i.e. 95 and 570 S m-1 for rod coating and screen printing, respectively), which can be further increased using zinc particles or ethanol-based formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper/diamond composites have drawn lots of attention in the last few decades, due to its potential high thermal conductivity and promising applications in high-power electronic devices. However, the bottlenecks for their practical application are high manufacturing/machining cost and uncontrollable thermal performance affected by the interface characteristics, and the interface thermal conductance mechanisms are still unclear. In this paper, we reviewed the recent research works carried out on this topic, and this primarily includes (1) evaluating the commonly acknowledged principles for acquiring high thermal conductivity of copper/diamond composites that are produced by different processing methods; (2) addressing the factors that influence the thermal conductivity of copper/diamond composites; and (3) elaborating the interface thermal conductance problem to increase the understanding of thermal transferring mechanisms in the boundary area and provide necessary guidance for future designing the composite interface structure. The links between the composite's interface thermal conductance and thermal conductivity, which are built quantitatively via the developed models, were also reviewed in the last part. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, copper coated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was synthesized by decomposition of Cu(II) acetylacetonate (Cu(acac)2) in hydrogen atmosphere at 300 °C. The thickness of the copper coating was in nanoscale according to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, and Raman spectra indicated that certain intermediate bonds were formed between copper and the template CNTs. The crystalline structure of copper and its growth orientation were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The copper coating on CNTs had a face-centered cubic structure and its growth orientation was parallel to $$ (\bar 111) $$ planes. The method developed in this paper had the advantages of simplicity in both process control and experiment equipments, so that it might provide a possibility of large-scale production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the microelectronics technology going toward its physical limits and the emergence of three-dimensional chip stack architectures, now more than ever there are both needs and opportunities for novel materials to help address some of these pressing thermal management challenges. In this paper, a high-thermal-conductivity insulative SiO2-coated nano-Cu particle is prepared for new-type underfill materials of high-performance microelectronics packaging. It was found that nano-Cu can be successfully coated with SiO2 by using the surface modification between cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide and silane coupling agent although nano-Cu particles have silicon-disordered property during the coating process of tetraethyl orthosilicate hydrolysis. Moreover, the thermal conductivity of epoxy mixed with nano-Cu@SiO2 as the packaging underfill is dramatically increased from 0.15 W/m K of the pure-EP and 0.60 W/m K of the EP/SiO2 to 2.9 W/m K due to electronic heat transfer, heat network and fast heat transfer center. It effectively releases the heat generated by the IC device, and the service life of the device is significantly improved from 63 min of pure-EP and 350 min of the EP/nano-SiO2 to 1039 min. The new material creates a challenging environment for keeping modern electronic devices cool, a critical factor in determining their speed, efficiency and reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

InGaN/GaN multi-quantum well light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are conventionally grown on a sapphire substrate due to a lack of compatible substrates with a high compressive strain. This is a result of the relatively large lattice, and thermal expansion coefficient mismatches between GaN and sapphire. The compressive strain is considered to be a major obstacle to further improve next-generation high-performance GaN-based LEDs. In this paper, we have designed, electroplated, and tested an efficient substrate using a patterned copper (Cu) layer on the backside of sapphire to relax the compressive strain in a GaN epilayer. The patterned Cu layer has a significant function in that it supports the GaN/sapphire LEDs with an external tensile stress. The external tensile stress is capable of compensating for the compressive strain in the GaN/sapphire LEDs by controlling the curvature of the wafer bowing. This patterned Cu layer, when applied to the GaN/sapphire LEDs, suppresses the compressive strain by up to 0.28 GPa. The GaN-based LEDs on this innovative and effective sapphire/Cu substrate offer improved optical and electrical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Femtosecond laser surface processing (FLSP) is a technique that can be used to modify surfaces imparting many desirable properties, such as an improved wettability, heat transfer, and drag reduction. The morphology of the FLSP surface along with surface chemistry is critical factors that strongly influences the wetting behavior of surfaces produced. Reproducing the FLSP original surface over a large area in an economic manner is a challenge. In this paper, imprinting the FLSP surface on oxygen-free copper is investigated. Based on the topology of an FLSP titanium surface, a model has been established to investigate the topology of the mounds, which is defined by the roughness and period between the self-organized structures. This topology affects the imprint quality indicated by the plastic deformation in the blank and is defined as the target material specimen. Both oxygen-free copper and stainless steel 304 were used as blank target material in this study and represent both soft and hard material specimens. The stress-displacement relationship was used to determine the sensitivity of imprint parameters. The imprint model was verified by comparing an equivalent imprint model with nanoindentation experimental results. The model results showed that the die's morphology, in particular the die roughness-to-period ratio (referring to the peak-to-valley height and the peak-to-peak distance), had greater influence than the blank material itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel Mn-N alloyed lean duplex stainless steels with different addition of Cu were fabricated and studied in this paper. The effects of Cu addition, solid solution treatments and second phase precipitation on resistance to pitting corrosion were discussed in detail. The addition of 0.5% Cu can significantly improve the resistance to pitting corrosion due to that Cu can increase the activity of alloying Cr and facilitate the diffusion of Cr into ferrite phase, leading to the concentration of alloying Cr in ferrite phase. The corrosion resistance of present steels was decreased with the increase in solid solution treatment temperature from 1000 to 1150 °C due to the increasing difference of pitting corrosion resistivity between ferrite and austenite. The second phase precipitation of CrN can consume the beneficial elements of Cr and N in ferrite, leading to a dramatic decrease in corrosion resistance. The pitting potential of the present steel was sensitive to the aging treatments, and it was continuously decreased with the increase in aging time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread use of titanium aluminide alloys will require effective joining techniques for primary fabrication and repair. One such technique is Transient Liquid Phase (TLP) bonding, which has been used to join titanium aluminide alloys. A successful TLP bonding process uses a copper-containing composite interlayer and thus introduces a small amount of copper into the alloy. Although even relatively small alloying additions can be detrimental to the oxidation resistance of titanium aluminide alloys, the amount of copper added to the alloy during the TLP bonding process has previously been shown to be neutral or beneficial to the isothermal oxidation resistance of the alloy. In this paper, a small amount of copper introduced during TLP bonding is shown to have no detrimental effect on the cyclic oxidation of Ti-48 at% Al-2 at% Cr-2 at% Nb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper focuses on thermal and electrical properties of copper-graphite composites. Copper-graphite composites in the range of 0-50 vol% of graphite were prepared from the mixture of copper and graphite powder by the powder metallurgy method. Such composites combine high thermal and electrical conductivities provided by copper matrix and low thermal expansion coefficient and lubricating properties due to the graphite phase. We model thermal and electrical conductivities and thermal expansion coefficient using methods of micromechanics in connection with the material microstructure and measure these quantities experimentally to compare with the results of modeling. Cross-property connections between thermal and electrical properties of the composites are established and experimentally verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTS)- and copper-coated carbon fiber (M-Cu-CF) was obtained by electroless plating method. The M-Cu-CF was evaluated by FTIR, XRD, TGA, and SEM. It was found that the MPTS and Cu were coated on the fiber surface successfully. The M-Cu-CF was utilized as a conductive filler in silicone rubber (SR) for thermal and electrical conductivity applications and exhibited good dispersion and compatibility with the matrix. The effect of M-Cu-CF content on the thermal conductivity and volume resistivity of silicone rubber composites was investigated. The results showed that the thermal conductivity of the M-Cu-CF/SR composites reached 1.99 W (m K) with only 4.0 wt% filler loading, approximately 2.10 times higher than that of raw-CF/SR composites at the same loading. And with the increase of M-Cu-CF loading, the least volume resistivity of M-Cu-CF/SR composites was 3.5 × 10 Ω cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The adsorption behaviour of copper(II) ions in acidic streams using different polymeric adsorbents (Lewatit MonoPlus TP 220, Lewatit MonoPlus SR 7, Lewatit AF 5, Purolite A 830, Purolite S 984, Purolite A 400 TL, Dowex PSR 2, Dowex PSR 3) was studied, and the results were compared. The adsorbents were characterized by determination of the point of zero charge and the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy method. The kinetic (effects of phases contact time) and equilibrium (effect of initial Cu(II) concentration) studies were also carried out. The effects of hydrochloric and nitric(V) acids on adsorption behaviour of Cu(II) were examined. The FTIR spectra after the Cu(II) adsorption were also obtained, and the mechanism of Cu(II) sorption was proposed. Of eight adsorbents, the best one was chosen and applied in further studies (column adsorption, column and batch desorption, reuse of adsorbent in cycles of sorption–desorption, selectivity in two-component solutions Pd(II)–Cu(II)). Cu(II) sorption efficiency was the highest using Lewatit MonoPlus TP 220. Its sorption is well described by the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation and the Langmuir isotherm model. Ion exchangers show also high affinity for noble metals, especially for gold(III): Au(III) > Pd(II) > Pt(IV) (the column test) from single- and two- or three-component solutions (the batch test). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents proof of concept of a viable multilayer technology to enhance the performance of multifilar helix, receive-only satellite antennas. Approximately, 30-μm layers of polyether ether ketone (PEEK) were deposited onto the Cu filars of a single layer dielectrically loaded multifilar helix antenna using aqueous electrophoretic deposition (EPD). The PEEK coating was densified at ~400-420 °C in flowing N to prevent oxidation of the Cu filars. A second Cu metallisation was deposited onto the surface of the PEEK and the resulting antenna characterised. The multilayer antenna revealed a dual band response with peak radiation efficiencies >25 % and ~50 % increase in bandwidth. Multilayered surface architectures fabricated from PEEK using EPD, therefore, show great potential for the development of a broad range of high-performance multiband dielectrically loaded antennas whose peak frequencies may, in principle, be tuned by modifying the thickness of the PEEK layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CuO/CuFeO thin films were obtained on glass substrate by ex situ oxidation in air at 450 °C for 12 h from various starting metal/oxide nanocomposites by radio-frequency sputtering technique. The structure and microstructure of the films were examined using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopies, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electron probe microanalysis. These studies reveal that a self-organized bi-layered microstructure with CuO (surface layer) and CuFeO (heart layer) was systematically obtained. Due to the porosity of the upper layer formed during annealing, an increase in total thickness of the film was observed and is directly correlated to the oxidation of the metallic copper content initially present in the as-deposited sample. A self-organization in two stacked layers CuO/CuFeO with various void fractions ranging from 0 to 41 % can be obtained by controlling the as-deposited elaboration step described in the part I of this paper. The highest porosities were observed for films deposited at low argon pressure and low target-to-substrate distance. Due to their specific self-organization in p- and n-type layers associated with their high porosity, such structured films exhibited the best electrical sensitivity to CO gas sensing. The obtained results demonstrated the importance of microstructure control to improve the response of sensing layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to synthesize a copper/chromium oxide composite material. The use of a chemical processing method like the Pechini method is the best approach to control the chemistry and the microstructure. Nevertheless, the standard Pechini method has to be modified to obtain this specific type of composite. In this work, we have adapted two steps. Firstly we have eliminated the step involving ethylene glycol and secondly a reduction step has been added at the end. The new method is now capable of obtaining a Cu/CrO composite with specific stoichiometric ratios and a grain size ranging from 0.1 to 1 μm. We have used chemical and microstructural analyses to validate this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, large-scale uniform silver and copper nano/microtubes with high length diameter ratios have been successfully synthesized by a facile approach, using low-cost nano-scale glass fibers as templates. The tubular structures can be obtained by reducing of Ag and Cu ions on the surface of the fibers, along with removing the templates. The samples are characterized by SEM and XRD. Results show the tubular structures are very uniform and the tubular walls are composed of densely coalesced crystalline nanoparticles of 30–50 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the exact analytical solutions for rapid solidification process are available only for special boundary conditions, numerical techniques have to be applied for more general boundary conditions. In this paper we will describe a finite difference method for simulation of rapid solidification that is based on control volume methodology and interface-tracking technique. Heat transfer computer study will be realized for solidification with and without melt undercooling at the interface. Such numerical method will be applied for thermal history analysis of solidifying nickel on copper substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of strongly cube textured Cu based substrates is important in the cost effective production of long lengths of high temperature superconducting cables. The present paper reports textures (deformation and recrystallisation) development in pure Cu, Cu–Al, Cu–Mn (with a solute content of 1–3 at.%) and Cu–35 at.% Ni alloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present paper describes a new direct chemical plating method of copper, called Dynamic Chemical Plating. This low cost technology is based on spraying separate aqueous solutions containing copper metallic ions and Borohydride reducing agent. It is able to plate chemical copper at 30 μm/h at room temperature and may be used as an industrial process for metallizing polymers and non-conductors in general. The copper plating dynamic parameters were studied as well as the substrate characteristics in order to be metallized. The wettability of the plastics surfaces and the use of a coupling agent plate, as an under-coat metallic layer, are major important parameters to start plating and increase the adhesion of metallic copper layer to the substrate. Effects of pre-treatment conditions such as corona discharge, the plating kinetics and electrical properties of the copper film are also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the influence of Ni3AI intermetallic particles on the fracture behaviour of aluminium matrix (2014) composite materials. Intermetallics were obtained by mechanical alloying and by atomisation. The composite materials were manufactured by mixing, uniaxial compacting of a preform, and subsequent extrusion without canning or degassing. The study considered materials in extruded state and after T6 heat treatment. Assessments were made from the viewpoint of microstructure (by means of optical and scanning electron microscopy), and studying the reactions between the matrix and the reinforcement. These reactions produce a highly copper-enriched interphase. The influence of the reinforcement and state of the alloy on the fracture behaviour of the composite materials was studied through scanning electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ancient bronze artifacts, that represent a considerable part of the archeological finds, have been largely studied because of their complex degradation phenomena taking place in the long time span that have not been fully understood. One of the peculiar features of ancient bronzes is the presence of inclusions of copper unalloyed with tin. Unalloyed Copper Inclusions (UCI) have been observed in buried archaeological bronze artefacts by several authors, but each paper reports only on a limited number of cases. In our extensive studies on bronze artefacts, UCI have been observed in many bronze artefacts with very different features and purposes. Both as-cast and wrought artefacts were studied, so that the influence of the manufacturing process and the composition of the artefacts on the formation of UCI might be evaluated. The microstructure and composition of these artefacts were studied and the features of UCI have been related with those of the surrounding phases. The results have been discussed and compared with those obtained by other authors. The presence of UCI in buried archaeological bronze artefacts could indicate some unusual corrosion processes that might need to be accounted for when designing conservation treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports the preparation of W/Cu composite powders by a wet process based on the reduction of selected copper precursors in ethylene glycol and in the presence of tungsten powders. Reactions were performed in different conditions of temperature, time and concentration of the copper precursor. Two different Cu compounds, Cu(AcO)2·H2O and CuO (coarse or fine) and two W powders (coarse or fine) were used. The reaction yields ranged from 75% to 98%. Dense bodies (up to 97% fractional density) with highly homogeneous microstructure as well as high electrical conductivity (up to 41% IACS) were obtained by sintering W/Cu powders at 1350 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this research work was to study how the microstructure of individual phases influences the interphase interaction in the Ni-Ag and Ni-Cu-Ag layered structures at elevated temperatures. The paper presents the depth distributions of each element in the Ni-Ag and Ni-Cu-Ag layered structures, before and after annealing. The depth distributions were obtained by Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). These AES studies are an extension of previous research. It has been discovered that microstructure will critically affect interphase boundary formation, when copper is introduced into the Ag-Ni interfacial region. Copper mainly diffuses into nickel and less into silver. The shape of the copper concentration profile is dependent on which type of diffusion is dominant, grain boundary or volume. The diffusion-type interphase boundary has not been observed in the silver-nickel binary system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nanoporous metals can serve in unique functional applications due to their high surface area, and they are often made through dealloying, which removes a sacrificial element through chemical etching and leaves a nanoporous matrix of the remaining element(s). Several variations on this technique allow for a wider variety of metals and alloys to be processed, but simple, scalable, and reliable production of nanoporous devices is still not a reality using the majority of techniques and alloy systems. Oxide reduction may provide a suitable alternative, and in this work, nanoporous Cu was produced via oxide reduction in the Cu–CuO system. This method uses mechanical milling to create a metal matrix composite powder primarily composed of CuO that is reduced under hydrogen to leave pure Cu behind. It requires no harsh chemicals, and it uses modest temperatures and short reaction times. Furthermore, it is fully compatible with traditional powder metallurgy, making it readily scalable. Powder compacts were also processed to track the geometric changes associated with each composition and demonstrate that device creation is feasible, even with the basic process applied here. This work reveals important parameters associated with these materials by incorporating a wide range of milling times and compositions, with shorter milling times and higher oxide concentrations providing the finest pore sizes, the highest porosity, and the greatest simplicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new bifunctional nanomaterial, [SBCu(II)Hyd]-MWCNTs, exhibiting exotic electrical and magnetic properties has been synthesized via chemical modification of MWCNT-COOH. Double probe DC electrical conductivity, CV and EIS studies show better conductivity of the material than that of MWCNT-COOH. With higher saturation and remanent magnetization, as well as coercivity, [SBCu(II)Hyd]-MWCNTs showed better ferromagnetic characteristics. Mott–Schottky electrochemical analysis was carried out to explore capacitive and dielectric properties. The enhancement in electrical conductivity of [SBCu(II)Hyd]-MWCNTs is also confirmed by optical and electrochemical band gaps studies. Subsequently, this material has been utilized to fabricate an electrochemical sensor by coating it over glassy carbon electrode for the determination of glucose. The corresponding sensitivity and limit of detection values are calculated to be 1.1 µA µM−1 cm−2 and 0.09 µM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A silver metallic interlayer was inserted into a direct-bonded aluminum–copper (DBAC) substrate to inhibit the formation of aluminum–copper intermetallic compounds (IMCs) in the substrate. The Ag caused the dissolution of small quantities of Al and Cu to form a Ag(Al, Cu) metallic layer, which exhibited lower hardness (1.4 ± 0.2 GPa) and a lower elastic modulus (71.7 ± 12.8 GPa) than did Al–Cu IMCs (hardness/elastic modulus: 10.4 ± 0.9 GPa and 193.9 ± 7.2 GPa for Al4Cu9, 10.6 ± 0.3 GPa and 171.2 ± 10.7 GPa for Al–Cu, and 7.6 ± 1.5 GPa and 121.0 ± 8.4 GPa for Al2Cu, respectively). Moreover, the Ag(Al, Cu layer was able to withstand high stress caused by the coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between Al, Ag, and Cu; thus, this layer prevented crack formation at the Al–Cu bonding interface. The shear strength of the Al–Cu bonding interface was originally 13.3 ± 3.4 MPa. This value then increased to 26.3 ± 3.6 MPa when a Ag metallic interlayer was inserted, and the shear strength was maintained at 21.9 ± 1.1 MPa during 500 thermal cycles between − 50 and 150 °C. At room temperature, the thermal conductivity of DBAC with a Ag metallic layer (280 W/mK) was higher than that of direct-bonded aluminum (233 W/mK) and DBAC without a Ag metallic layer (276 W/mK) because of the high thermal conductivity of Ag and the absence of Al–Cu IMCs in the DBAC with a Ag metallic layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmentally benign sustainable development can be realized only by meeting our energy demands through devices that can operate by taking energy from their surrounding environment. Self-assembled nanostructured CuO on copper ribbon and spin-coated ZnO thin films were optimized for engineering a self-powered UV photodetector in this work. We optimize the thickness of the ZnO and CuO thin films and subsequently the concentration of the alkaline electrolyte KOH to deliver a self-powered UV photodetector which exhibits an ON/OFF ratio of 505, photosensitivity of ~ 3433%, responsivity of ~ 84 mAW−1 and an excellent incident photon to current conversion efficiency of ~ 30% at 360 nm. We demonstrate the actuation of the UV photodetector by integrating the cells and switching on red and green LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the fast growing of oily contaminants, continuous oil/water separation with high flux is in demand. Superhydrophilic/superoleophobic composites are considered as ideal candidates. In this work, the oil–water separation composite is from superhydrophilic copper mesh coated by robust superhydrophilic/superoleophobic paint based on fluorine-containing epoxy resin. Firstly, a superhydrophilic/superoleophobic coating with excellent comprehensive properties was prepared through hydrophilic epoxy and superhydrophilic/superoleophobic TiO2. Then copper mesh was treated into being superhydrophilic, and the superhydrophilic/superoleophobic coating was sprayed on the superhydrophilic copper mesh to obtain oil–water separation material. As a result, the oil–water separation efficiency of the separation material is higher than 99.7%, the water flux is higher than 80,000 L m−2 h−1, and it has excellent mechanical properties. The oil–water separation material is promising for the applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, rapid failure of a few minutes was observed in real ball grid array solder joints under high current density (8 × 103 and 1 × 104 A cm−2) at room temperature. For each test condition, the failure solder joint was detected at the same position of the daisy chain by computed tomography technology. Furthermore, the open failure for all solder joints was caused by the chip side (anode side) Cu dissolution. Microstructure evolution for a pair of electrically connected solder joints was investigated. In both solder joints, Cu atoms on the chip side were dissolved to the board side with the formation of intermetallic compound particles in solder matrix. Finite element simulation was introduced to calculate the current density, temperature, and heat flux distribution. The temperature gradient along the direction of Cu migration in solder joint was developed due to the accumulation of Joule heating. Thermomigration was confirmed as the dominant mechanism of chip side Cu dissolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Printed circuit boards (PCB) are easily corroded under moist environment due to formation of dendrites and short circuit. It would be a promising approach to exploit intentionally formed dendrite covered by functional coating for corrosion inhibition to elongate the lifespan of PCB. In this work, a facile electrodeposition method has been applied to grow dendritic tin onto Cu as a substrate for PCB. Bioinspired formation of superhydrophobic surface (SHS) and liquid-infused surface (LIS) are adopted to minimize access of moisture to underneath Cu metal. In this regard, dimethylsilicone oil and zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF) nanoparticles are infused into dendritic matrix to form a solid–liquid ZIF-LIS coating. Morphology, composition and wettability are characterized by different sophisticated techniques. Beyond significant improvement in corrosion resistance, ZIF-LIS has demonstrated self-healing properties, improved mechanical stability and anti-icing behavior. Current finding provides a new approach to fabricate coating for PCB having extended stability against corrosive degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) has great potential to produce graphene films at large-scale. However, CVD production of graphene films usually requires a catalytic metal substrate, such as copper. Recently we have developed a new method to grow graphene films directly on crystalline silicon wafers with a thermally grown 300 nm oxide layer, using a seeded-CVD growth approach. The use of methane as the feedstock and optimized graphene seeds has led to enhanced film formation, which SEM, X-ray photo-electron and Raman spectroscopies indicate consist of graphene layers formed by the coalescence of expanding "graphene seeds". The resultant films have regions of single graphene crystallites within them as a result of lateral growth of the seeds. In addition, we have observed that the unilateral conductivity of the graphene films is consistent with the presence of graphene nanoribbons and as such has potential application in device fabrication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study plastic deformation behavior in high-strength Cu–Ag nanostructured composites, we compared (1) overall stress–strain curves with local stress–strain curves and (2) engineering stress–strain curves with true stress–strain curves. We then related the differences between these curves to the internal structure of the composites from microscale to atomic scale. Strain-softening appeared both locally and overall in longitudinal samples. Pronounced strain-hardening occurred only locally in transversal samples. In longitudinal cross-section, but not in transversal cross-section, we observed many shear bands in which the lamellar thickness values of Cu and Ag were below 6 nm and 2 nm, respectively. Within these bands, the boundaries between Cu and Ag were composed of semi-coherent {111} interfaces in a zigzag pattern, with twins and stacking faults concentrated in Ag lamellae. We demonstrated that strain-softening in longitudinal tensile samples resulted from a favorable angle within shear bands between the existing {111} slip system and the maximum shear stress direction. Strength in the transverse direction was about 10% stronger than in the longitudinal direction, an anisotropy in strength values that we attributed to the underlying anisotropy in local true strain-hardening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a systematic study on diamond growth on copper by microwave plasma chemical vapour deposition (MPCVD). It includes the following four main parts. 1. Effect of substrate pre-treatment on diamond nucleation. 2. Effect of deposition conditions on diamond nucleation and growth. 3.Preparation of free-standing diamond films using copper substrate. 4. Adherent diamond coating on copper using an interlayer. In the first part we show that diamond nucleation on copper is strongly affected by the substrate pre-treatment. The residues of abrasives left in the surface of the copper substrate play an important role in the diamond nucleation. In the second part we show that the diamond growth rate increases with microwave power and gas pressure. The effect of the microwave power is mainly an effect of substrate temperature. Increasing methane concentration results in a higher nucleation density and higher growth rate, but at the cost of a lower film quality. Gas flow rate has little influence on the diamond nucleation density and growth rate. In the third part we demonstrate the possibility of preparing large area free-standing diamond films using copper substrate, which has nearly no carbon affinity and usually leads to weak adhesion of the diamond films. The normally observed film cracking phenomenon is discussed and a two-step growth method is proposed for stress release. In the fourth part we show that adherent diamond coating on copper can be obtained using a titanium interlayer. Residual stress in the films is evaluated by Raman spectroscopy. It is found that with increase in the film thickness, the diamond Raman line shifts from higher wave numbers to lower, approaching 1332 cm−1. The stress variation along the depth of the film is also analysed using Airy stress theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niobium particle reinforced aluminum oxide (Al2O3) dispersion strengthened copper composite is an attractive and emerging engineered material for applications requiring high strength, high thermal and electrical conductivities and resistance to softening at elevated temperatures. In this paper, the microstructure, tensile deformation and fracture behavior of the composite is examined. The strength of the material decreases with an increase in temperature with a concomitant improvement in ductility. The composite microstructure maintains a high value of yield strength/ultimate tensile strength ratio. The factors contributing to increased strength and the intrinsic mechanisms governing fracture characteristics of the composite are examined in light of intrinsic microstructural effects, nature of loading and deformation characteristics of the matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large undercooling can induce not only various solidification pathways, but also a precursor reaction, or liquid separation. This paper deals with the latter effect of undercooling using examples of the Cu-Co system which has a flattened liquidus. Bulk Cu-Co alloys (about 7 mm in diameter) at compositions ranging from 10 to 100 wt % Co were highly undercooled using a fluxing technique. Except for compositions above 90 wt % Co, liquid separation was directly observed as undercooling exceeded a critical value depending on the composition. It was also confirmed by a microstructural transition from dendrites to droplets above the critical undercooling. Finally, calculations of the metastable miscibility boundary were made to analyze the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted extensive attentions due to their promising potential for broad applications. However, the complex preparation process and expensive low-surface-energy modifier significantly constrain its large-scale practical applications. Thus, construction of robust liquid-repellent surfaces via a facile and versatile approach without assistance of binder or post-modification is still highly desired and challenging. In this work, we synthesized superhydrophobic organic–inorganic coupling PVDF@SiO2 hybrid particles by thiol-ene click reaction using the branched thiol-terminated pentaerythritol tetra(3-mercaptopropionate) (PETMP) as cross-linking agent. The prepared PVDF@SiO2 hybrid particles could be used as building units to construct robust inorganic–organic composite superhydrophobic coating on various substrates through a simple spraying-curing process without any post-modification treatments. Owing to its high intermolecular cohesive force and self-film formation property of PVDF matrix, the fabricated coating possesses stable superhydrophobicity even after withstanding mechanical destruction or chemical harsh conditions. More importantly, the PVDF@SiO2 coating tremendously enhanced anti-corrosion property of Cu plate by orders of magnitude, with the corrosion current decreasing from 6.15 × 10–3 to 3.92 × 10–6 mA cm−2. Therefore, this strategy for constructing superhydrophobic composite coatings on various substrates could promote the advancement of interfacial superwetting technology and provide promising potentials for large-scale practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]