Mechanism and kinetics of precipitation process in selected copper alloys

Abstract

The required functional characteristics expected from copper alloys have a major impact on the technological production process, therefore there is a strong need to acquire knowledge on changes of properties with technological process including heat treatment and plastic working. The studied in this work copper CuTi4. CuFe2. CuCr0.7 and CuNi2Si1 alloys was selected to present differences in hardening phases .The samples were quenched, cold deformed (rolling), and aged. Detailed microstructure analysis and its influence on electrical and mechanical properties was presented in the work. Quenched CuTi4, CuFe2, CuCr0.7 and CuNi2Si1alloys have different mechanism and kinetics of precipitation during aging. These processes are complex and depend on the heterogeneity of distribution of alloying elements in copper matrix, the process parameters and cold strain value.