Metals 2019, 9(1), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/met9010056
Influence of the Shape of Copper Powder Particles on the Crystal Structure and Some Decisive Characteristics of the Metal Powders
1
Mining and Metallurgy Institute, Center for Technologies Development in Metallurgy, Zeleni bulevar 35, 19 210 Bor, Serbia
2
Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Department of Materials Science, University of Belgrade, 11 000 Belgrade, Serbia
3
Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, University of Belgrade, Kneza Višeslava 1a, 11 000 Belgrade, Serbia
4
Institute of Technical Sciences of the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts, Knez Mihailova 35/IV, 11 000 Belgrade, Serbia
5
Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy-Department of Electrochemistry, University of Belgrade, Njegoševa 12, 11 000 Belgrade, Serbia
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 13 November 2018 / Revised: 30 December 2018 / Accepted: 31 December 2018 / Published: 9 January 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Synthesis of Metallic, Oxidic and Composite Powders)
Abstract
Three different forms of Cu powder particles obtained by either galvanostatic electrolysis or a non-electrolytic method were analyzed by a scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and particle size distribution (PSD). Electrolytic procedures were performed under different hydrogen evolution conditions, leading to the formation of either 3D branched dendrites or disperse cauliflower-like particles. The third type of particles were compact agglomerates of the Cu grains, whose structural characteristics indicated that they were formed by a non-electrolytic method. Unlike the sharp tips that characterize the usual form of Cu dendrites, the ends of both the trunk and branches were globules in the formed dendrites, indicating that a novel type of Cu dendrites was formed in this investigation. Although the macro structures of the particles were extremely varied, they had very similar micro structures because they were constructed by spherical grains. The Cu crystallites were randomly oriented in the dendrites and compact agglomerates of the Cu grains, while the disperse cauliflower-like particles showed (220) and (311) preferred orientation. This indicates that the applied current density affects not only the morphology of the particles, but also their crystal structure. The best performance, defined by the largest specific surface area and the smallest particle size, was by the galvanostatically produced powder consisting of disperse cauliflower-like particles. View Full-Text
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Avramović, L.; Maksimović, V.M.; Baščarević, Z.; Ignjatović, N.; Bugarin, M.; Marković, R.; Nikolić, N.D. Influence of the Shape of Copper Powder Particles on the Crystal Structure and Some Decisive Characteristics of the Metal Powders. Metals 2019, 9, 56.
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