Abstract
Nanocomposites of copper and niobium were prepared by the DC sputtering inert gas condensation technique. The Vicker's microhardness, HV, of the as-deposited, cold-compacted nanocomposite pellets increases uniformly with increasing Nb concentration from the value for pure nanocrystalline Cu of about HV = 200 to HV = 400 near 90 wt % Nb. Specimens that have been sintered in hydrogen exhibit increased microhardness for all Nb concentrations, but rather than uniform increase in hardness with increasing Nb concentration as for the as-deposited material, there is a peak in the hardness versus concentration near 63 wt % (64 vol %, 54 at. %). Values as high as HV = 1330 were measured for specimens with approximately 63 wt % Nb that were sintered in hydrogen at 1000°C, near the melting point of the copper matrix. The implications of these results for high-temperature strength retention of nanocomposites are discussed.
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