Influence of Pulse Current Forward-Reverse Duty Cycle on Structure and Performance of Electroplated W–Cu Composite Coatings

Tungsten-copper (W–Cu) composites are widely used as electrical contact materials, resistance welding, electrical discharge machining (EDM), and plasma electrode materials due to their excellent arc erosion resistance, fusion welding resistance, high strength, and superior hardness. However, the traditional preparation methods pay little attention to the compactness and microstructural uniformity of W–Cu composites. Herein, W–Cu composite coatings are prepared by pulse electroplating using nano-W powder as raw material and the influence of forward-reverse duty cycle of pulse current on the structure and mechanical properties is systematically investigated. Moreover, the densification mechanism of the W–Cu composite coating is analyzed from the viewpoints of forward-pulse plating and reverse-pulse plating. At the current density (J) of 2 A/dm2, frequency (f) of 1500 Hz, forward duty cycle (df) of 40% and reverse duty cycle (dr) of 10%, the W–Cu composite coating rendered a uniform microstructure and compact structure, resulting in a hardness of 127 HV and electrical conductivity of 53.7 MS/m.