In-situ synthesis of graphene/Cu powder and composite through mechanochemical route

Graphene/copper composites demonstrate outstanding mechanical and electrical properties, making them suitable for a wide range of applications. Among the various methods for preparing graphene/copper composites, the in-situ synthesis approach has gained significant attention due to its simplicity and potential for commercial scalability. In this study, we report a mechanochemical method that utilizes terphenyl as a carbon source for the in-situ preparation of Gr/Cu composites. In this approach, mechanical force is utilized to induce polymerization of terphenyl, as opposed to thermal catalysis. Compared to pure copper, the yield strength of the composite with 0.1   wt% carbon addition increased by 13.7%, and its conductivity improved by 3.8%IACS. The composite also exhibited a higher strengthening efficiency of 86.7%. A harmonic structure within the composite was observed, which contributes to increased strength while maintaining a certain degree of plasticity. The structural evolution of graphene during the mechanochemical process was analyzed, and a hypothesis was proposed to explain the structure changes during polymerization. This study presents a novel method and valuable insights for the preparation of Gr/Cu composites through mechanochemical processes.