Preparation and Properties of Nanostructured GaN-Reinforced Cu Matrix Composites

As a pioneering exploration of gallium nitride (GaN) as reinforcement in metal matrix composites, this study systematically investigated the mechanical-electrical property evolution in copper matrix composites through controlled GaN incorporation-a research gap scarcely addressed previously. GaN-Cu composites with tailored GaN contents were successfully synthesized by precisely controlled mechanical alloying and powder metallurgical processing and exhibited exceptional mechanical-electrical synergies. Advanced microstructural characterization via X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy revealed the homogeneous dispersion of GaN nanoparticles within the Cu matrix, forming coherent interfacial structures. The characterization results show that GaN-Cu composites could be successfully prepared by mechanical alloying and powder metallurgy methods, and it was confirmed that GaN nanoparticles could improve the mechanical properties of metal matrix composites as reinforcement; with an exponential increase in GaN content, the decrease in conductivity became very slow. With an increase in GaN content, the electrical conductivity decreased in an "L" shape, while the hardness first increased and then decreased, but the hardness could reach up to 128.66 HV, which is about 130% higher than that of the substrate.