Effect of nickel-coated diamond on the thermal conductivity of copper matrix composites

This study employed electroless plating to deposit a nickel coating onto the diamond surface. Composite powder was prepared via ball milling, followed by the fabrication of diamond/copper composites using rapid hot pressing. The effects of diamond content and the nickel coating on the microstructure, interfacial bonding, and thermal conductivity of the composites were systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that at a diamond content of 30 vol%, the composite achieved a thermal conductivity of 467 W/(m·K) with significantly enhanced interfacial bonding. The successful deposition of the nickel coating via electroless plating enabled superior thermal performance in the diamond/copper composite. A key innovation of this work lies in the experimental evaluation of the influence of nickel coating thickness on the properties of diamond/copper composites. The findings not only validate the significance of surface coating effects in composite modification but also establish a methodological framework and theoretical foundation for subsequent research.