Fabrication of Graphene/Cu Composite by Chemical Vapor Deposition and Effects of Graphene Layers on Resultant Electrical Conductivity

Graphene (Gr) has unique properties including high electrical conductivity; Thus, graphene/copper (Gr/Cu) composites have attracted increasing attention to replace traditional Cu for electrical applications. However, the problem of how to control graphene to form desired Gr/Cu composite is not well solved. This paper aims at exploring the best parameters for preparing graphene with different layers on Cu foil by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and studying the effects of different layers graphene on Gr/Cu composite''s electrical conductivity. Graphene grown on single-sided and double-sided copper was prepared for Gr/Cu and Gr/Cu/Gr composites. The resultant electrical conductivity of Gr/Cu composites increased with decreasing graphene layers and increasing graphene volume fraction. The Gr/Cu/Gr composite with monolayer graphene owns volume fraction of less than 0.002%, producing the best electrical conductivity up to 59.8 ×10⁶ S/m, equivalent to 104.5% IACS and 105.3% pure Cu foil.