▎ 摘　　要

NOVELTY - A method of manufacturing an electrical conductor (100), involves: providing a base substrate (102); providing a foil; depositing a graphene layer on the foil to define a layered structure (104); and depositing the layered structure on the base substrate. The graphene layer is deposited directly on the foil. The step of depositing the layered structure involves cladding the foil to the base substrate; or at least one of pressure bonding, rolling, cold welding, laser bonding, and soldering the foil to the base substrate. USE - For manufacturing an electrical conductor (claimed) such as a contact, a terminal, a spring contact, a pin, a socket, an eye-of-needle pin, a micro-action pin, a compliant pin, a wire, a cable braid, a trace, a pad and the like used in many different types of products or devices, including electrical connectors, cables, printed circuit boards, and the like. ADVANTAGE - The layered structure provides a corrosion-resistant electrically conductive layer on the base substrate and thereby overcomes the problems associated with friction, stiction and other contact forces, thereby increasing application of conductors. Having the graphene layer already deposited on the foil in a prior process allows the electrical conductor to be manufactured without having to subject the base substrate to the high temperatures associated with depositing the graphene layer on the foil. Having only the foil, as opposed to the base substrate, transferred through the coating station or other station that deposits the graphene, benefits the electrical conductor such as by reducing the risk of forming grain boundaries, triple points or pores in the base substrate. By not having to process the base substrate through the coating station, the coating station may be operated at a higher temperature than if the base substrate were to be passed through the coating station. DETAILED DESCRIPTION - A method of manufacturing an electrical conductor (100), involves: providing a base substrate (102); providing a foil; depositing a graphene layer on the foil to define a layered structure (104); and depositing the layered structure on the base substrate. The graphene layer is deposited directly on the foil. The step of depositing the layered structure involves cladding the foil to the base substrate; or at least one of pressure bonding, rolling, cold welding, laser bonding, and soldering the foil to the base substrate. The method further involves plating the graphene layer with a surface layer. The step of depositing a graphene layer involves depositing graphene on at least one surface of the foil by processing the electrical conductor using a chemical vapor deposition process using an organic compound precursor and heat of sufficient temperature to facilitate graphene growth on the metal compound comprising the foil, where the base substrate is not being subjected to the heat of the chemical vapor deposition process. An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for an electrical conductor comprising: a base substrate of at least one of copper, copper alloy, nickel or nickel alloy; a layered structure applied to the base substrate, where the layered structure comprises a foil and a graphene layer deposited on the foil, and the layered structure is applied to the base substrate after the graphene layer is deposited on the foil. The foil is at least one of pressure bonded, pressure rolled, cold welded, laser bonded, and soldered to the base substrate. The electrical conductor further comprises a surface layer on the graphene layer opposite the foil or surface layer plated on the graphene layer opposite the foil. The graphene layer is CVD deposited on at least one surface of the foil using an organic compound precursor and heat of sufficient temperature to facilitate graphene growth on the metal compound comprising the foil, where the graphene layer is deposited prior to the foil being deposited on the base substrate. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING(S) - The figure shows schematic view of conductor formation system used to form electrical conductors. Electrical conductor (100) Base substrate (102) Layered structures (104) Workpiece (105) Conductive foil layer (110) Conductor formation system (150) Strip reel (154) Transfer device (158) Substrate application station (170) Substrate reel (171) Processing station (172)