Electroless copper/PTFE composite coatings

A composite Cu-PTFE coating was prepared by electroless copper plating with sodium hypophosphite as the reducing agent. The thickness of the composite was 5approx.10μm. It consisted of 5 per cent PTFE and 95 per cent copper by weight and had good adhesion to the matrix. X-ray analysis showed that the composite was face centred cubic crystal (FCC) as plates and tended to form a solid solution. AES analysis showed the proportion of F, P, C, contents was 27:1.2:71.8 on the surface of the composite. ESCA analysis showed further that copper and phosphorus were simple substances on the composite surface while F and C were present in the form of PTFE. Tribology experiments showed the composite of Cu-PTFE has good tribological behaviour. The composite wear is 38 per cent lower by weight loss than the coating of Cu-P in dry condition and 57 per cent lower by weight loss than the composite of Ni-P-PTFE in oil.