In carbon fiber-reinforced aluminum matrix composites, carbon fibers must form a strong bond with the aluminum alloy matrix to deliver effective reinforcement. Since carbon fibers react chemically with aluminum, surface modification is essential to enhance bonding and prevent interfacial reactions.
Research indicates that liquid aluminum exhibits a contact angle greater than 90° with carbon, whereas the aluminum-copper interface shows complete wetting with a 0° contact angle. This demonstrates that copper plating on carbon fibers significantly improves adhesion to aluminum alloys while acting as a barrier against chemical reactions.
Current copper plating methods for carbon fibers include ion sputtering, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), metal powder spraying, electroplating, and electroless plating. Among these, ion sputtering and CVD involve high equipment costs and complex process control, while metal powder spraying yields poor coating adhesion. Consequently, electroless and electroplating remain the primary methods for modifying short carbon fibers.
Electroless plating requires no external power source, offers lower costs, deposits uniform dense coatings on non-conductive surfaces, and generates less environmental pollution. These advantages have made it an increasingly preferred eco-friendly alternative to electroplating in many applications. However, when plating 7μm-diameter carbon filaments-which possess high surface area-the process struggles to coat fiber bundle interiors, causing "black core" defects and fiber agglomeration.
Notably, agitation methods critically impact coating quality during electroless copper plating. High Gain Industrial Co., Ltd. recommends tailored approaches-including optimized agitation techniques, adjusted primary salt concentrations, and specialized stabilizers-to overcome wetting challenges at carbon/aluminum interfaces. These solutions effectively eliminate black core and agglomeration issues.
For carbon fiber requirements, contact our technical team to explore collaboration opportunities.
