Graphene/nickel composites were prepared by electrodeposition in a nickel sulfamate solution with graphene oxide (GO) sheets in suspension. Raman spectra demonstrated that the GO sheets had been reduced during the electrodeposition process and the graphene content was 0.12 wt%. X-ray diffraction patterns showed the preferred orientation of nickel growth changing from (2 0 0) to (1 1 1) in the composites. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy images were used to help explain how the introduction of graphene substrates leads to the change of preferred orientation. Measurements showed the thermal conductivity of the composites to be about 15% more than that of pure nickel electrodeposits. Significant improvement was also demonstrated in the hardness measured by nanoindentation. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.