Examination of some high-strength, high-conductivity copper alloys for high-temperature applications

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Copper alloys with high strength and high thermal and electrical conductivity have received a lot of attention over the last decades. Most of such efforts have concentrated on the development of alloys containing fine, dispersed particles, and using rapid solidification techniques to ensure a sufficient volume fraction and sufficient fineness of the dispersed phase. In a recent study, a Cu-8Cr-4Nb alloy was developed which shows relatively good strength up to 700 C, a result which was explained by the resistance to coarsening of the fine Cr{sub 2}Nb intermetallic particles in this materials. The amount of intermetallic Cr{sub 2}Nb second phase in this alloy was about 14vol% and it was claimed that the special compound-nature of the intermetallic phase was responsible for the good stability and retention of strength to high temperature. In order to examine the influence of the nature of the fine particles present and their stability against coarsening, as well as to examine the influence of volume fraction of second phase on tensile strength, three different alloys have been chosen for study: Cu-2Nb and Cu-4Cr for examining the role of second phase chemistry (Nb or Cr) on structural and property stability; and a Cu-14Cr alloy, for comparison with more » the Cu-4Cr alloy, to examine the role of volume fraction of the second phase. The stability of these alloys will then be compared with that reported for the Cu-8Cr-4Nb alloy. « less