Wood-derived copper–graphite composites produced via additive-assisted electrodeposition

An additive-assisted copper electroplating technique designed for infiltrating high-aspect-ratio pores was adapted to work with three-dimensional wood-derived graphitic scaffolds with aspect ratios ranging from 15 to 300. The poor wettability of the carbon/copper system necessitates the development of alternative infiltration techniques to produce composite structures from highly porous precursors such as wood-derived graphite. By incorporating electrolyte additives, copper infiltration was demonstrated into red oak-derived graphite scaffolds, producing a composite with a biologically-derived microstructure. Copper infiltration was studied as a function of electrolyte chemistry and deposition time in two dimensions using electron microscopy techniques and in three dimensions using X-ray computed tomography.