A study on the micro-evolution of mechanical property and microstructures in (Cu-30Fe)-2X alloys with the addition of minor alloying elements

Abstract

The morphology of the phase and the grain size generally have a significant influence on the mechanical properties of the alloy. (Cu-30Fe)-2X alloys also significantly have been affected by the morphology and solidification process of the phase. Compared with the Cu-30Fe alloy, which has a dendritic Fe phase due to the separation of meta-stable liquid phases, the addition of Si causes the formation of a spherical Fe primary phase with a fine size, and enhancement of the volume fraction of the secondary separated Cu phase in the formed Fe phase and primary α-Fe phase. Moreover, it leads to an implement of yield strength that is about 35% greater than a Cu-30Fe alloy. The addition of Nb and V resulted in the formation of coarse Fe units, which resulted in a decrease in the yield strength due to the concentration of stress. These results will be used as useful data for industrial applications aimed at controlling microstructures and improving mechanical properties in alloy designs.