Highly conductive Cu-deposited continuous basalt fiber for electric power transmission and next-generation telecommunication applications
摘要
As the demand for lightweight and highly conductive materials grows in wearable technology and telecommunication, novel approaches for material design and production are getting abundant emphasis. In this study, we employed a two-step electroless copper (Cu) deposition method to develop conductive continuos basalt fiber (BF). The technique eliminates the need for conventional harsh surface treatment, sensitization, and noble metal activation, simplifying fabrication steps and reducing environmental impact. The results showed that under the optimum temperature of 50 °C, a homogenous deposition of Cu was obtained on the BF surface. This Cu layer enabled the BF to achieve an electrical conductivity of 2.02 × 107 S/m, comparable to the commercial Cu (5.98 × 107 S/m). In addition, the Cu-deposited BF exhibited a high tensile strength of 1459 MPa and a density of 3.65 g/cm3, significantly lower than that of commercial Cu (8.96 g/cm3). These unique properties make the conductive BF a competitive alternative for wearable electronics and next-generation telecommunications systems.