Effect of Hybrid Reinforcements on the Mechanical Properties of Copper Nanocomposites

Copper (Cu) composites hybridized with nano-sized reinforcing material are gathering attraction in several fields such as automobile, aerospace, and power transmission due to their better strength. Unlike conventional reinforcing materials, extraordinary mechanical properties and high electrical and thermal conductivity make nanomaterials highly useful reinforcement materials to improve the properties of pristine metals. Over the last two decades, several kinds of research have been conducted to study the effect of distinctive 2D nanomaterials, such as silicon carbide, aluminium oxide, copper nanotube and graphene as reinforcement on the properties of metal matrices. This study comprehensively reviews the effect of hybrid reinforcements on the mechanical properties of Cu composites having graphene as one of the reinforcements. Also, the contribution of these reinforced nanomaterials composition and their dispersion in the pure Cu matrices have also been explained in detail. In comparison with Cu composites fabricated with a single 2D reinforcement material, composites incorporating hybrid nano reinforcement, exhibit better mechanical behaviour. Additionally, the improvement in mechanical strength would enhance their capability to withstand altering thermal and surrounding environmental conditions.