Effect of heat treatment temperature on mechanical and tribological properties of copper impregnated carbon/carbon composite

To obtain pantograph strip with high toughness and good friction behaviors, copper impregnated carbon/carbon (C/C) composite was fabricated using chemical vapor deposition, heat treatment and impregnating technologies, and microstructure, mechanical and tribological performances were investigated. As the heat treatment temperature increases, flexural strength has a decreasing tendency, and the failure mode changes from brittle fracture to pseudo-plastic fracture. Carbon crystal degree of copper impregnated C/C composite is increased by the (Above 2000 °C) heat treatment, which helps wear surface form a smooth tribolayer, prompting the decreases of standard deviation of friction coefficient and arc discharging frequency, and the main wear mechanism changes from arc erosion to abrasive wear during the current carrying friction tests. •Copper impregnated C/C composite was fabricated for pantograph strip.•Heat treatment changes fracture failure mode from brittle to pseudo-plastic.•Heat treatment helps forming a smooth tribolayer and improves friction behavior.•Friction coefficient fluctuation has close relation with wear rate.