W–Cu composite materials are widely used in civilian industries and aerospace fields owing to their integrated properties of high hardness, wear and arc resistance, electrical and thermal conductivities, and low coefficient of thermal expansion. The recently developed submicron- and nanostructured W–Cu composites exhibit superior performance compared to their conventional coarse-grained counterparts and are expected to further expand applications of this group of materials. This review is focused on recent important progress in the preparation, characterization, and mechanical and physical properties of W–Cu composites with refined structures. We summarize the technologies that are capable of refining component structures and evaluate their advantages and limitations. Furthermore, the effects of component refinement and additives such as alloying elements and dispersed particles on the comprehensive performance of W–Cu composites are demonstrated. At the end of the review, we propose potential research issues and directions worthy of attention for the future development of W–Cu composites.

Nanoarchitectured electroactive materials can boost rates of Li insertion/extraction, showing genuine potential to increase power output of Li-ion batteries. However, electrodes assembled with low-dimensional nanostructured transition metal oxides by conventional approach suffer from dramatic reductions in energy capacities owing to sluggish ion and electron transport kinetics. Here we report that flexible bulk electrodes, made of three-dimensional bicontinuous nanoporous Cu/MnO₂ hybrid and seamlessly integrated with Cu solid current collector, substantially optimizes Li storage behavior of the constituent MnO₂. As a result of the unique integration of solid/nanoporous hybrid architecture that simultaneously enhances the electron transport of MnO₂, facilitates fast ion diffusion and accommodates large volume changes on Li insertion/extraction of MnO₂, the supported MnO₂ exhibits a stable capacity of as high as ~1100 mA h g⁻¹ for 1000 cycles and ultrahigh charge/discharge rates. It makes the environmentally friendly and low-cost electrode as a promising anode for high-performance Li-ion battery applications.