Fabrication of graphene/copper laminate composites with enhanced electrical and mechanical properties by cold rolling

Abstract

Copper (Cu) foil is extremely important in industrial applications. Many efforts have been made to improve its physical properties, such as embedding graphene (Gr) into Cu matrix. However, most of the current preparation methods for Gr/Cu composites do not have the potential for large-scale production due to the high requirements of process, cost and equipment. Herein, we propose a facile way to fabricate CVD-grown Gr/Cu laminate composites via cold rolling. Compared to pure Cu, significantly enhanced electrical properties are demonstrated, including 106.2 % IACS (International Annealed Cu Standard) conductivity and 10.9 % higher maximum current density. After the test of bending cycles, Gr/Cu laminates exhibit extraordinary bending stability (less than 1.9 % conductivity changes). In terms of mechanics, the hardness of Gr/Cu laminates is increased by 8.3 % with enhanced softening resistance. This strategy provides a low-cost way to produce high-performance Gr/Cu composites in large with the combination of roll-to-roll process in the future.