Abstract
It was investigated that $Al_2$$O_3$/Cu nanocomposite powder could be optimally prepared by dispersion and reduction of Cu oxide, and suitably consolidated by employing pulse electric current sintering (PECS) process. $\alpha$-$Al_2$$O_3$ and CuO powders were used as elemental powders. In order to obtain $Al_2$O$_3$ embedded by finely and homogeneously dispersed CuO particles, the elemental powders were high energy ball milled at the rotating speed of 900 rpm, with the milling time varying up to 10 h. The milled powders were heat treated at $350^{\circ}C$ in H$_2$ atmosphere for 30 min to reduce CuO into Cu. The reduced powders were subsequently sintered by employing PECS process. The composites sintered at $1250^{\circ}C$ for 5 min showed the relative density of above 98%. The fracture toughness of the $Al_2$$O_3$/Cu nanocomposite was as high as 4.9MPa.$m^{1}$2//, being 1.3 times the value of pure $Al_2$$O_3$ sintered under the same condition.
