LAUSR

Abstract The effects of additives (polyethylene glycol (PEG), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)) and WC nano-powder on the microstructure, relative density, hardness and electrical conductivity of electroplated WC−Cu composite were investigated. The preparation mechanism was also studied. The microstructure of samples was analyzed by XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM and HRTEM. The synergistic effect of PEG and SDS made the WC−Cu composite more compact during the electroplating process. The hardness of WC−Cu composites increased with the increase in WC content, while the electrical conductivity decreased with the increase in WC content. The density of samples tended to increase initially and then decreased with increase in the additive content. When the electroplating solution contained 10 g/L WC nano- powder, 0.2 g/L PEG and 0.1 g/L SDS, the WC−Cu composite exhibited hardness of HV 221 and electric conductivity of 53.7 MS/m. Therefore, the results suggest that WC−Cu composite with excellent properties can be obtained by optimizing the content of additives and WC particles.