Magneto-Assisted Graphene Reinforcement: A New Method to Enhance Nanostructure and Properties of Electrodeposited Copper

Graphene (Gr) reinforcement of metals has recently gained momentum to not only enhance electrical, thermal and mechanical properties but also control the metal matrix composites' grain structure and its evolution at the nanoscale. Specifically, electrodeposited copper-graphene (CuGr) composites have been explored as a material that maintains or exceeds all the electrical, thermal, ease of use, and cost benefits of Cu while retaining electronic package processability. The final composition is mainly governed by the initial volume loading of Gr in the plating bath and any applied agitation methods, giving, so far, limited returns in terms of property improvements. Achieving the theoretical maximum material performance requires 1) a high Gr relative content, 2) homogeneous dispersion of Gr throughout the composite, and 3) controlled alignment of Gr within the material. To address this grand challenge, a novel magneto-electrodeposition process is proposed in this paper wherein a low-magnitude magnetic field is applied during plating to tailor the microstructure, composition and, subsequently, the material properties of CuGr composites. This paper examines the effect of applied magnetic fields on electrodeposited CuGr composites in terms of their material composition, microstructure, morphology, and subsequent physical properties to assess the potential of using magnetoelectrodeposition to fabricate high-performance CuGr composites with tailorable microstructure and properties to meet the manufacturability and performance requirements of future microelectronic systems.