Fabrication and Material Characterization of Copper and Copper-CNT Micropillars

In this work, copper micropillars and copper-carbon nanotube (CNT) composite micropillars were fabricated by incorporating an electrodeposition technique with a xurography process. In order to disperse carbon nanotubes in copper-CNT micropillars, various amounts of CNTs were added to the electroplating bath. Surface morphology and phase characterization of copper micropillars and copper-CNT composite micropillars were analyzed by optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction. In addition, the corrosion resistance (Rp) of a bare copper substrate, copper micropillars, and optimum copper-CNT micropillars were studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) technique in a 3.5 wt. % sodium chloride. Experimental results yielded a corrosion resistance of 200 Ω cm 2 for the bare copper substrate, 400 Ω cm 2 for copper micropillars, and 2550 Ω cm 2 for copper-CNT micropillars, indicating a significantly higher corrosion resistance for copper-CNT micropillars due to a lower chemical reactivity and refinement of crystal structure of copper in micropillars.