Correlating Structure and Electrical Properties in Rotary Swaged Al/Cu Clad Composites

Abstract

Thorough analyses were focused on characterization of deformation behaviour of the component metals, orientations of their structural units, and development of intermetallic phases on the interfaces within Cu/Al clad composites produced by rotary swaging at 20 °C and 250 °C. The shapes of the cross-sections of Al wires within the composites were affected by the increasing total imposed strain more at 250 °C, the 250 °C composites also exhibited formation of intermetallics at higher swaging degrees. Intermetallics decreased the electric conductivity, which was generally higher for 20 °C samples, however, the conductivity was also affected by the occurring deformation hardening/softening. The average microhardness of Cu exceeded 100 HV for all the samples.