Achieving high strength and electrical properties in drawn fine Cu matrix composite wire reinforced by in-situ grown graphene

Graphene/Cu composite wire with a diameter as fine as 195 μm was successfully fabricated for the first time by using a synergistic methodology consists of in-situ growth high-quality graphene, spark plasma sintering, hot-extrusion and drawing. The graphene/Cu composite with a continuous severe drawing deformation of 99.7% was easily achieved, which can be benefited from the uniformly dispersion of graphene in Cu matrix. As a result, the graphene/Cu composite wire exhibited an ultrahigh strength (581 MPa), excellent electrical conductivity (4.59 × 107 S/m) and low temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR, 2.98 × 10−3/oC). This work presents a breakthrough in the fabrication and plastic deformation of graphene/Cu composite and has a great promoting effect on its applications for high-power cables and new energy devices.