Surface oxidation engineering for enhanced interface bonding achieving excellent electronic properties in multilayer nitrogen doped graphene/Cu composites wires

Graphene/Cu composites have attracted significant research attention due to their exceptional electrical conductivity and ampacity. However, the growth of high-quality graphene on curved copper surfaces remains challenging due to the poor wettability between Cu and C. This study presents a novel approach for the in-situ growth of nitrogen-doped graphene/Cu composite wire utilizing copper wire surface oxidation and microwave plasma heating. Nitrogen defects and CuO nanoparticles enhance the Cu-C interface, promoting uniform graphene growth, efficient electron transfer and Joule heat dissipation. Consequently, the composite wire demonstrates a 10.4 % improvement in electrical conductivity and a 48.6 % increase in ampacity. The finite element simulation was employed to investigate the primary mechanisms underlying ampacity enhancement and thermal failure in nitrogen-doped graphene/Cu wire. This work offers a promising strategy for improving the graphene-Cu interface, paving the way for advanced composite wires with superior electrical properties.