Preparation and Properties of Cu-Ti3AlC2 Composites by Cu-coated Ti3AlC2

Cu-Ti3AlC2 composites (CTCS) are a potential electrical contact material, but Ti3AlC2 tends to agglomerate, which is detrimental to the density of CTCS. In this work, to prepare CTCS with high density and high Ti3AlC2 content, a uniform Cu coating was applied to the surface of Ti3AlC2 using rotating electroless plating. The effects of sintering temperature on the microstructure and properties of CTCS fabricated with Cu-coated Ti3AlC2 were investigated. The results show that Ti3AlC2 particles are evenly distributed within CTCS. The relative density and compressive strength of CTCS are optimal at a sintering temperature of 1000 °C, with values of 97.6% and 654.7 MPa, respectively. In contrast, at a sintering temperature of 950 °C, CTCS exhibit the highest hardness and tribological properties, with a hardness value of 314.7 HV, a friction coefficient of about 0.35, and a wear rate of 1.08×10-7 mm3/N·m.