Effect of fiber alignment on mechanical properties of chopped graphite fiber-reinforced copper-matrix composites: Designing fiber alignment in various stress conditions

Carbon-reinforced copper-matrix composites must provide improved mechanical properties if used as a structural part of machinery. However, little research has been conducted on the effect of the alignment of graphite fibers (GFs) with a high aspect ratio on the mechanical properties of composites. In this work, the effects of the alignment and volume fraction of GFs on the mechanical properties of GF/Cu composites subjected to tensile and compressive loading were analyzed and compared. The yield strength was highest when the composite with a GF volume fraction of 5% was subjected to compressive loading in the through-plane direction. The yield strength during tensile deformation was higher in the in-plane direction than in the through-plane direction. However, during compression testing, the yield strength was higher in the through-plane direction. Thus, the effects of the alignment and volume fraction of GFs on the tensile and compressive deformation behaviors of GF/Cu composites were revealed. These results are expected to provide a practical guide for optimizing the mechanical properties of GF/Cu composites subjected to various stress conditions as materials for the structural parts of machinery.