High strength silicon bronze (C65500) obtained by hydrostatic extrusion

Abstract

C65500 is a high strength engineering alloy that has excellent resistance to a wide range of corrosive environments. Combination of corrosion resistance, strength, and formability place it among the most widely used copper alloys. In the present study, a C65500 alloy was subjected to severe plastic deformation by hydrostatic extrusion at room temperature with goal to increase its strength by grain refinement without modification of the chemical composition. Cumulative hydrostatic extrusion was applied with a total true strain of 4.1. The microstructure of SPD samples was evaluated by transmission electron microscopy. The size of grains was quantitatively described. The resulting mechanical properties were determined in tensile tests and via microhardness measurements. The results show that the applied cumulative HE route, leads to a substantial grain size refinement accompanied by high increase in strength. In comparison to commercial alloy after conventional plastic treatment, ultimate tensile strength and yield strength were higher by 45% and 130% respectively.