Fabrication of Cu-graphite metal matrix composites by ball milling and spark plasma sintering

[Display omitted] •Graphite is used as a dispersoid to strengthen Cu.•Cu-graphite nanocomposites are fabricated by repeated two-stage processing cycles.•In each cycle, powders are ball milled and consolidated by spark plasma sintering.•Final nanocomposites exhibit a uniform dispersion of graphite nanoparticles.•Uniform dispersion results in the stiffening and hardening of the Cu matrix. This work reports on the use of graphite as dispersoid to strengthen Cu. Material processing involved two-stage cycles of ball milling and spark plasma sintering, respectively for the dispersion of graphite nanoparticles into nanostructured Cu and the formation of dense compacts with relatively large Cu grains. The 3 wt% of graphite allows progressive hardening and stiffening of the Cu-graphite composite, showing the potential of graphite as effective dispersoid upon suitable processing.