Investigations of Mechanical Properties of Copper Matrix Hybrid Composite

Abstract

Copper Matrix Composites (MMC) have been widely used in electrical appliances, automobiles, aerospace, bearing and bushes because of the better mechanical properties, solid lubrication and hardness. With the low percentages of graphite in Copper–Graphite–TiO2, it can also be used for the manufacturing slip rings, switches, connectors, relays and plugs. In the present work, efforts have been made for the preparation of Cu–Graphite–TiO2 metal matrix composites with six different compositions, i.e. (Pure Cu, Cu + 8%Gr, Cu + 6%Gr + 2%TiO2, Cu + 4%Gr + 4%TiO2, Cu + 2%Gr + 6%TiO2, Cu + 8%TiO2) using powder metallurgy techniques. Mechanical properties like compression strength and microhardness were studied. The ultimate compressive strength increases by 11.77% due to addition of 8% TiO2 in the pure Cu. It was observed that the addition of graphite into copper results in decrease of hardness value because of the soft nature of graphite. On the other hand hardness increases after addition of 8% TiO2.