Aluminium alloys with zirconium additions, in the range from 0.05 to 0.32%, intended for applications in the overhead electrical power engineering

Abstract

The main scientific challenge of the study was the selection of the zirconium amount, which will allow achieving high electric and strength properties of the alloy. The analysis of chemical compositions of the thermal resistive, conducting AlZr alloys allowed to estimate the most advantageous amount of zirconium, which was found to be within the range: from 0.05 to 0.32 wt % of Zr. The main aim of the study was the investigation of electric properties of alloys of the selected chemical compositions, being within the above given range. The endeavours were focused on determining the heat treatment influence (artificial ageing) on the resistivity of the AlZr alloys in the cast form. On these bases the ranges of obtainable electrical properties were estimated for the investigated alloys, which enabled the selection of optimal conditions of the heat treatment.