Increasing Electrical Conductivity of Copper Nanocomposite By Carbon Nanotube Oxide Modified With Poly Citric Acid And Urea

In this study, deposition of copper nanoparticles is synthesized by nanocomposite of carbon nanotube oxide modified with poly citric acid (Cu@CNTO/PCA) and a mixture of amine and poly citric acid (Cu@CNTO-amine/PCA) in different weight concentrations. The thickness, weight, conductivity and resistance of electrical, and hardness of the copper coating on the electrode are calculated after optimizing the parameters of current density (3000 mV), deposition time (45 min), stirring speed (300 rpm), and pH (2-3) at ambient temperature. To analyze the copper coating created on the electrode, the most well-known and widely used techniques are used: Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FE-SEM), and X-ray Energy Diffraction spectroscopy (EDX). The addition of carbon nanotubes enhances the process of nucleation and modification of grains and reduces the oxidation of copper, thus improving the mechanical properties of the copper coating. So, the electrical conductivity of the copper coating reaches 1526 mu s.cm-1 in 40 wt.% of Cu@CNTO-amine/PCA nanocomposite at a current density of 3000 mV. Another advantage of this deposition method is at ambient temperature so that the copper coating turns black when the temperature increases to 35 degrees C. The modification of the surface with poly citric acid causes more dissolution and distribution of CNTO in the electrolyte solution keeps the pH of the environment in the range of 2-3 during deposition and causes the synthesis of shiny copper coatings. Urea-containing nanocomposite increases the electrical conductivity and stability of the copper coating, and compared to graphene oxide nanoparticles, it solves the problems of oxygen functional groups and provides its thermal stability. The results show that the thickness of the encapsulated copper coating layer depends on the chemical composition of the electrolyte, temperature, current duration, and current intensity. By controlling these factors, the thickness of the coated copper layer can be adjusted in the range of 1 to 10 mu m. The method employed in this paper enables the controlled synthesis of metal-nanomaterial composites that can potentially be processed into high-capacity electrical conductors.