Microstructure and mechanical property of Cu₂O-Cu cermet prepared by in-situ reduction-hot pressing method

Cu₂O-Cu cermets were prepared by a novel method, hot pressing mixed C and Cu₂O powders, in which the conductor Cu was produced by the reaction between C and Cu₂O (called as in-situ reduction-hot pressing method and presented as IRHP). Phase and microstructures of the cermets were characterized by X-ray diffraction, optical microscope, and scanning electron microscope. XRD analysis showed that the cermets only consist of Cu₂O and Cu phases. Microstructural characterization of the cermets showed that the distribution of Cu phase is homogeneous throughout the Cu₂O matrix. The mechanical properties were measured under a universal tester, and the compressive strength of the cermets with the same Cu content is 1.5 times higher than that of the samples prepared by hot pressing the mixed Cu and Cu₂O powders directly (called as hot pressing method and presented as HP).