Experimental Investigation to Study the Feasibility of Fabricating Ultra-Conductive Copper Using a Hybrid Method

Ultra-conductive copper (UCC) has an enormous potential to disrupt the existing electrical and electronic systems. Recent studies on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a new class of materials, showed the ballistic conductance of electricity. Researchers around the world are able to demonstrate ultra-conductivity in micro- and millimeter-length sections using various processing techniques by embedding CNTs in the copper matrix. Although multiple methods promise the possibility of producing copper-based nanocomposites with gains in electrical conductivity, thus far, scaling up these results has been quite a challenge. We investigated a hybrid method of both hot-pressing followed by rolling in order to produce UCC wire. Cu/CNT billets of 1/10%, 1/15%, and 1/20% were hot-pressed and the conductivity results were compared to a hot-pressed pure copper billet. Our results indicated that this method is not a viable approach, as the gains in electrical conductivity are neutralized, followed by attenuation of the wire cross-section.

Automated summary

While CNTs show potential for ultra-conductivity in copper matrix, scaling up production remains a challenge due to limited effective methods and resulting in attenuation of wire cross-section.