Influence of Low-SiC Content on the Tribological and Electrical Properties of Cu Composites Produced by Spark Plasma Sintering

In this study, copper matrix composites reinforced with varying silicon carbide (SiC) contents (0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 wt.%) were fabricated using spark plasma sintering (SPS). The effects of SiC reinforcement on the microstructure, hardness, porosity, electrical conductivity, and tribological performance were systematically investigated. Brinell hardness values increased with higher SiC content, reaching up to 76 HB for the 1 wt.% SiC composite. This improvement was accompanied by a gradual increase in porosity from 0.6 to 2.1%. Electrical conductivity decreased from 93% IACS to 66% IACS with increasing SiC content. Tribological tests revealed that the specific wear rate was significantly reduced, reaching as low as 1.1 × 10−4 mm3/N m at 15 N due to the formation of a protective tribolayer. These results demonstrate that incorporating small amounts of SiC can substantially improve hardness and wear resistance, while maintaining acceptable electrical performance, making Cu-SiC composites promising candidates for durable electrical contact applications.