Influence of Oxidation on Electrical Properties of Compacted Cu Nanopowders

The phase composition and electrical transport properties of Cu powder obtained by electric spark dispersion and the pellets manufactured from this powder were studied by X-ray phase analysis and electric resistance measurements. The compacted powders were annealed in pure Ar atmosphere. It was shown that electrical resistance of the compacted Cu specimens essentially depends on the annealing temperature. In particular, the electrical resistance of the pellet after annealing at 873 K decreases on heating at low temperatures (semiconducting mechanism). As the temperature is increased, semiconducting behavior of resistivity is altered for metallic one. This change of conductivity type is ascribed to formation of metallic oxide and modification of its content during annealing.