PSI - Issue 65

A.M. Kazakov et al. / Procedia Structural Integrity 65 (2024) 114–120 Kazakov A.M., Korznikova G.F., Korznikova E.A. / Structural Integrity Procedia 00 (2024) 000–000

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Copper-graphene composites can be used in many applications, such as thermal management in electronics and smart devices, Hu et al. (2024), heat spreaders and thermal interface materials, Chu et al. (2018), high-temperature motor operation without conductivity loss, Gwalani et al. (2024), thermal management coatings for copper foils, Li et al. (2020), and many others. Copper-graphene composites can find applications in various stable structures. For example, carbon fiber reinforced composites (CFRCs) are increasingly in demand due to their widespread applications in industries like aerospace, automotive, and electronics, Yashiro et al. (2013), Lee et al. (2015), Yu et al. (2016), thanks to their outstanding strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance (Mouleeswaran et al., 2012; Barden et al., 2007; Rao et al., 2017). A study by Lee et al. (2020) introduces a novel fabrication strategy to create a highly thermally conductive, mechanically robust, and durable CFRC using starfish surface-inspired graphene-copper metaparticles. Through a simple spray coating process and high-temperature compression process, a vertical heat dissipation network is formed, resulting in a 520% increase in vertical thermal conductivity and a 643% improvement in thermal diffusivity. This method achieves superior thermal performance and mechanical strength with minimal metaparticle content. Research by Li et al. (2020) proposes a simple strategy for synthesizing highly thermally conductive copper graphene composites. The Cu-graphene film demonstrated excellent flexibility, a high thermal conductivity of 637.7 W/m·K, and a reduced coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE). The results confirm that graphene significantly enhances the thermal conductivity of the copper matrix, making this composite film promising for future heat dissipation applications. Article by Olguín-Orellana et al. (2023) reports the development of copper capped by graphene core-shell nanoparticles to improve the thermal conductivity and stability of copper nanofluids (NFs). Through molecular dynamics simulations using new Morse potentials, copper-graphene NFs demonstrated superior thermal conductivity, ranging from 3.7 to 18.2 times higher at 300 K with a single graphene layer, and over 26.2 times higher with three-layered graphene. Notably, the size, homogeneity, and orientation of graphene flakes did not significantly impact the thermal conductivity, and the enhanced performance was even greater at temperatures below 300 K. Clearly, copper-graphene composites in various structures are actively studied through diverse approaches, highlighting their crucial role in modern applications and technologies. These composites have demonstrated significant potential in enhancing thermal conductivity, mechanical strength, and durability, making them indispensable for future innovations. With ongoing advancements in fabrication methods and deeper insights into material interactions, the scope of copper-graphene composites continues to expand. This review focuses on recent developments in optimizing the structure, fabrication methods, and applications of copper-graphene composites, underlining the key factors influencing their performance. One of the most significant factors influencing the thermal properties of copper-graphene composites is the graphene content and its structural arrangement, Chu et al. (2018), Ilgamov et al. (2024), Rysaeva et al. (2020). The authors compared thermal conductivity of graphene nanoplatelet/Cu composite made by vacuum filtration method followed by spark plasma sintering with bulk copper thermal conductivity. Figure 1 illustrates the dependence of composite thermal conductivity on graphene volume fraction. Increasing the graphene content up to 35% volume fraction led to a 50% increase in the thermal conductivity in copper-graphene composite than that of pure Cu matrix. An effective method to produce copper-graphene composites with varying graphene fractions can result in high thermal conductivity values, which are essential for electronic applications. Another research by Liu et al. (2021) has graphene paper/copper composites were prepared using vacuum hot pressing for electronic packaging and thermal management. A zebra skin structure was introduced to enhance thermal transport, resulting in an ultrahigh thermal conductivity of 968 W/m·K at 70 vol% graphene loading. Additionally, the composite demonstrated a high flexural strength of 88 MPa due to the strong interface 2. Key factors affecting thermal conductivity 2.1. Graphene content and structure