Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Copper/Graphene Composites Fabricated via Accumulative Roll Bonding and Heat Treatment without a Controlled Atmosphere

Copper and its alloys are structural materials used in industries and engineering applications due to their excellent thermal and electrical conductivity and chemical stability. Integrating graphene, known for its exceptional electrical conductivity, into the copper matrix is a promising strategy to enhance mechanical properties without sacrificing electrical conductivity. The Accumulative Roll Bonding (ARB) process can effectively and homogeneously introduce graphene into the metal matrix and is adaptable to an industrial scale. This study investigates the impact of varying graphene concentrations and two heat treatment protocols (without a controlled atmosphere) on the mechanical and electrical properties of ARBed copper/graphene composites. Optical microscopy revealed minimal voids and graphene clumps, and the energy dispersive spectroscopy analysis revealed the absence of copper oxide in some samples. The conductivity test showed little influence of the graphene content and stress relief heat treatment temperature on electrical conductivity (~86% of the International Annealed Copper Standard) within a limited number of ARB cycles. The tensile tests did not reveal a significant influence of the graphene content and stress relief heat treatment temperature on the ultimate tensile strength (220–420 MPa) and elongation (~2%).