Studying the microstructure, electrical, and electrochemical behaviour of the Cu-10WC/x GNs for electrochemical machining electrode and energy application

Abstract

Electroless deposition, followed by the powder metallurgy method, has been used to manufacture Cu-10WC/GNs nanocomposite with graphene content of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 wt.%. The produced composites' microstructure, density, electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance were investigated. The microstructure characterisation showed that the tungsten carbide and graphene coated with Cu nanoparticles are homogeneously distributed in the Cu matrix. The electrical conductivity increased with raising the coated GNs percentage to 4.9 × 107 Ohm m-1 for Cu-10WC/1 wt% GNs (more than the Cu-10WC by ~ 81.4%). By reinforcing copper with WC, the deposition current was decreased, whereas the addition of GNs induced a significant increase in the current deposition values as well as the resistance polarisation. Moreover, the corrosion rate gradually decreases with increasing the graphene percentage. The Cu-10WC/1GNs composite has a minimum corrosion rate of 10.15 mm/year (less than the monolithic copper by ~72%).