IMPACT OF COLD PLASTIC DEFORMATION AND THERMAL POST-TREATMENT ON THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF COPPER BASED ALLOYS Al-BRONZE AND α-BRASS

Abstract

The copper based alloys Al-bronze and α-brass containing each of 10wt% aluminum and zinc were prepared by casting. Afterwards, the specimens were cold-rolled with various percentages of deformation and the cold-rolled samples were aged subsequently at the varied time for four hours and temperatures ranging up to 500°C. Samples underwent characterizations by microhardness testing, electrical resistivity, optical properties, differential scanning calorimetry as well as microstructure analysis using an optical microscope. The results showed that the hardening of Cu-based alloys was taken place due to solid-solution hardening. Al addition accelerated the hardness through ageing due to the formation of various intermetallic copper aluminites into the aged alloy which was hard and brittle in nature. The resistivity decreased marginally through heat treatment due to the stage of stress relieving, recovery, precipitation coarsening as well as recrystallization and increased for arranging different intermetallics into the alloys. The microstructural study revealed that the cold rolled alloys content the different phases of elongated grain at the rolling direction. Meanwhile higher ageing temperatures at 500°C for one hour led to recrystallization and grain growth especially in pure copper and Cu-10Zn alloys.