High thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion coefficient of isotropic graphite-reinforced aluminum matrix composites prepared by in situ curing of silicon aerogel

In this study, graphite with different weight fraction of copper plating was obtained through electroless coating, then a new way called in situ curing of silicon aerogel was introduced to fabricate the preform of graphite-reinforced metal matrix composites, which has the advantages of short production cycle, low energy consumption, high mechanical strength, uniform pore distribution, and near net size formation, followed by aluminum impregnation through vacuum gas pressure infiltration. The obtained results prove that the composites made of copper-coated graphite have isotropic high thermal conductivity and low coefficient of thermal efficiency, with machinability and low density determined by raw materials making them competitive in the related fields.