Temperature-sensitivity of coating copper on sub-micron silicon carbide particles by electroless deposition in a rotation flask

An electroless deposition based on cementation reaction was carried out for coating of nano Cu crystallites on the surface of SiC particles. The resultant composite powder was characterized by scanning electron microscope, XRD, Auger electron spectra techniques. It was found that the size of Cu crystallites increased with the experimental temperature. Higher temperatures caused the appearance of large grown Cu particles and a wider-ranged particle size distribution. Smaller Cu crystallites were beneficial to the coating process. The optimized experimental temperature was approximately 32 °C. A surface layer of Cu2O was formed on the coated composite particles due to the oxidation of nano Cu crystallites.