Effect of Temperature on the Mechanical Properties and Microstructures of In Situ Formed Cu-Nb and Cu-Ta Composites

Abstract

AbstractThe effect of temperature on the mechanical properties and microstructures has been evaluated for heavily cold drawn Cu-20% Nb and Cu-20% Ta composites. The strengths of the composites decrease with increasing temperature, with the decrease becoming most pronounced at temperatures above about 300°C and at larger draw ratios. Cu-20% Ta composites are stronger than Cu-20% Nb composites throughout the temperature range studied (22–600°C) with the improvement increasing with increasing temperature. Resistivity measurements and substructure analyses showed that at temperatures where softening accelerated, resistivity decreased indicating a substructural change which was observed to be coarsening of the Nb and Ta filaments in the composites.