Effect of Reaction Temperature and Heat Treatment Time on Electrical and Mechanical Performance of TiB2 Particles and TiB Whiskers Reinforced Copper Matrix Composites

In order to achieve a reasonable balance between the high electrical conductivity and high tensile strength of TiB2 particles (TiB2p) and TiB whiskers (TiBw) reinforced copper matrix composites prepared by in situ reaction casting, the effects of reaction temperature and heat treatment time on the electrical conductivity and tensile strength of composites were studied. The results show that the electrical conductivity increased while the tensile strength decreased with the increase in reaction temperature from 1300 degrees C to 1500 degrees C. With the increase in heat treatment time, the electrical conductivity increased, while the tensile strength of the composites increased first and then decreased. The electrical conductivity and tensile strength of composites are related to the degree of in situ reaction at liquid or solid state, and the reasons for the improved performance are also discussed. Finally, two optimized preparation processes are proposed by cooperative controlling the reaction temperature and heat treatment time, the comprehensive properties of (TiB2p+TiBw)/Cu composites are 79.6% IACS/603 MPa and 83.7% IACS/602 MPa, respectively.