Thermal properties of diamond particle-dispersed Cu composites

This study describes the thermal properties of Cu composites containing diamond particles. Cu powder and diamond particles were mechanically mixed at 500 rpm and then consolidated at 723 K by vacuum-hot pressing. The particle size (0.005–7.7 μm) and volume fraction (0–20%) of diamond were changed to investigate their effect on the thermal properties of Cu composites. Adding 1% diamond by volume to Cu can improve the thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity, and a particle size of more than 0.95 μm is more effective for improving those properties. For the case of Cu composite containing diamond particles with mean particle size of 7.7 μm, the thermal diffusivity can be improved by 14% and the thermal conductivity can also be improved by 18%, compared with as-consolidated Cu powder. However, the thermal diffusivity and thermal conductivity of Cu composite decrease with an increase in the volume fraction of diamond because of the size reduction of grain in the matrix.