Fabrication and microstructure of Cu(Al)-diamond composites reinforced with Cr3C2 and Al2O3 synthesized in-situ

Cu-diamond composites (CDCS) possess great potential in thermal management materials. However, they face critical scientific challenges, including weak interfacial bonding and poor high-temperature performance of the Cu matrix. To improve the bonding at the Cu-diamond interface and to construct a structure of ceramic-reinforced matrix, this study employed Cr 2 AlC and Cu-coated diamond powders as the raw materials to prepare the composites sintered at 970 °C via vacuum hot-press sintering. Cu(Al)-diamond composites co-reinforced with Cr 3 C 2 and Al 2 O 3 (CDCSCA) were successfully fabricated. Microstructure results obtained by XRD, SEM, and EDS indicate that Cr 2 AlC decomposes within the composites during sintering to form Cr 3 C 2 and promotes the formation of Al 2 O 3 , which together act as ceramic phases embedded in the Cu(Al) matrix to improve its high-temperature performance. In addition, Cr 2 AlC promotes the formation of a Cr 3 C 2 interfacial layer at the Cu(Al) matrix-diamond interface, thereby improving the interfacial bonding.