Abstract

In order to enhance sinterability of W-Cu composites used for heat sink materials, mechanical alloying process where both homogeneous mixing of component powders and fine dispersion of minor phase can be easily attained was employed. Nanostructured W-Cu powders prepared by mechanical alloying showed W grain size ranged of 20-50 nm and were able to be efficiently sintered owing to the fine particle size as well as uniform distribution of Cu phase. The thermal properties such as electrical resistivity, coefficient of thermal expansion and thermal conductivity were evaluated as functions of temperature and Cu content. It was found that the coefficient of thermal expansion could be controlled by changing Cu content. The measured electrical resistivities and thermal diffusivities were also varied with Cu content. The thermal conductivities calculated from the values of resistivities and diffusivities showed similar tendency as a function of temperatures. However, this is in contradiction with thermal conductivities of pure W and Cu which decrease with increasing temperature.