Effect of aging process on the microstructure and properties of Cu–Cr–Ti alloy

Abstract

The effect of aging treatment on the microstructure of Cu–Cr–Ti alloy was studied by Scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Transmission electron microscope (TEM), and its electrical conductivity, microhardness and tensile strength were also measured. The results showed that the Cu–Cr–Ti alloy had a microhardness of 166 H V, tensile strength of 551 MPa and electrical conductivity of 78.2%IACS after being solution treated at 960 °C, 80% cold rolled and aged at 500 °C for 1 h. TEM characterization revealed that the precipitates were fully coherent with copper matrix after aging at 450 °C for 1 h. Two precipitates of face-centered cubic (fcc) and body-centered cubic (bcc) Cr structures existed in the matrix at the same time after aging at 500 °C for 1 h, and the existence of ordered phases accelerated the transformation from fcc to bcc. After aging at 550 °C for 1 h, the relationship between precipitates and the matrix transformed into a semi-coherent relationship, and the strength gradually deteriorated.