Fabrication of Cu-SiC_p Composites Via the Electroless Copper Coating Process for the Electronic Packaging Applications

摘要

Silicon carbide reinforced copper matrix (Cu-SiC_p) composites are highly rated as thermal management materials due to their high thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion properties. However, the Cu-SiC_p composites fabricated via the conventional powder metallurgy methods have substandard properties due to the weak bonding between the copper matrix and the SiC_p reinforcement. In order to strengthen the bonding, the SiC_p were coated with copper via electroless coating process. Based on the experimental results, a continuous copper deposition on the SiC_p was obtained. The Cu-Coated layer improved the green strength of the composites thus allowed a high volume fraction of SiC_p to be incorporated into the copper matrix. However, the increase in the volume fraction of SiC_p has a significant effect on the apparent porosity of the Cu-SiC_p composites. Nevertheless, the porosity of the Cu-Coated Cu-SiC_p composites remained significantly lower than those of non-Coated Cu-SiC_p composites especially at high volume fraction of SiC_p.