Precipitate Structure in an Alumina Dispersion-Strengthened Copper Base Composite Layer

Abstract

A dilute copper alloy of Cu-0.45wt%Al -0.066wt %Y was selected to fabricate nanometer size Al2O3 particles dispersion-hardened composite layer by using aluminizing-internal oxidation technique. The structure and size of the precipitate, interface structure, lattice parameter mismatch and morphology were investigated by means of high resolution transmission electron microscope, analytical transmission electron microscope and image processing by VEC software. Results show that two different size and structure nano-alumina precipitate were identified as α-Al2O3 and γ-Al2O3 respectively during different processing. The precipitates possess semi-coherence or coherence interface structure to matrix with typical loop-loop contrast. The cubic γ-Al2O3 precipitate in certain crystal plane and direction parallel to the matrix。