Enhancement of metal creep lifetime by graphene coating

An advancement can be seen in ultra-thin coatings used for the enhancement of material durability and lifespan. Among candidate materials, copper is used in various applications, such as micro sensors, nuclear fuel waste deposition canisters, and International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor first walls. However, it is easily susceptible to metal creep, due to its exposure to harsh environments. In this study, graphene, a promising ultra-thin material, is tested as a single-layer coating substance used to enhance the creep property of copper. For measuring creep life, the small punch creep test methodology is adopted. Results show that, remarkably, the creep lifetime of copper increases by up to 19% with the use of the graphene coating. In testing, the heat-treated copper specimen without graphene was fractured at 45 hours, while the graphene-coated copper specimen was fractured at 55.4 hours. The finite element method also supports the experimental results obtained.