Effect of high-pressure torsion and subsequent aging on the structure, microhardness, and electrical conductivity of Cu-7% Cr and Cu-10% Fe alloys

Abstract

Abstract The structure, microhardness, and electrical conductivity of Cu-7% Cr and Cu-10% Fe alloys are studied after high-pressure torsion (HPT) and subsequent aging. It is shown that the grain refinenment after the HPT to 230 ± 12 nm and 275 ± 11 nm for Cu-7%Cr and Cu-10%Fe alloys, respectively, leads to a significant increase in their microhardness. Additional aging leads to a simultaneous increase in the microhardness and electrical conductivity of hardened alloys. At the same time, heating both alloys after HPT improves their electrical conductivity, but negatively affects their microhardness due to an increase in the average grain size to 357 ± 23 nm and 411 ± 46 nm for Cu-7%Cr and Cu-10%Fe alloys, respectively. The best combination of microhardness and electrical conductivity was obtained for the Cu-7%Cr alloy after quenching and aging and is 1.66 ± 0.06 GPa and 76.6 ± 1.6 %IACS, respectively.