Characterization and performance evaluation of Cu-based/TiO2 nano composites

D Saber; Kh Abd El-Aziz; Bassem F Felemban; Abdulaziz H Alghtani; Hafiz T Ali; Emad M Ahmed; M Megahed

doi:10.1038/s41598-022-10616-y

Characterization and performance evaluation of Cu-based/TiO₂ nano composites

Sci Rep. 2022 Apr 23;12(1):6669. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-10616-y.

Authors

D Saber¹, Kh Abd El-Aziz², Bassem F Felemban², Abdulaziz H Alghtani², Hafiz T Ali², Emad M Ahmed³, M Megahed⁴

Affiliations

¹ Industrial Engineering Program, Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia. dselsayed@tu.edu.sa.
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia.
³ Department of Physics, College of Science, Taif University, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Mechanical Design and Production Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Zagazig University, P.O. Box 44519, Zagazig, Egypt.

Abstract

Copper and copper alloys are used in industrial applications and food contact surfaces due to their desirable properties; copper metal matrix composites have been exciting researchers' attention in recent years since they can offer many valuable characteristics. The present study investigated the effects of the TiO₂ nanoparticles addition with different weight percent on the hardness and corrosion behavior of copper nanocomposites. The powder metallurgy method was used to fabricate the Cu/TiO₂ reinforced with different weight fractions of TiO₂ nano particles up to 12 wt.%. The corrosion behavior of fabricated specimens is evaluated using potentiodynamic polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in different solutions. These solutions were 3.5wt.% NaCl, 0.5 NaOH and 0.5 M H₂SO₄ reflected different pH. The results showed that the addition of TiO₂ nano particles improves pure copper's hardness. The hardness of pure copper increased from 53 to 91 HV by adding 12 wt.% TiO_2. The corrosion current density (I_corr) of copper nanocomposites test specimens was higher than I_corr of pure copper in all test solutions. As TiO₂ nano particles increase, the corrosion resistance of Cu nano composites decreased. All test specimens exhibited little corrosion current density in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution as compared with other test solutions.

Abstract

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