Abstract
A nanocrystalline Cu–10wt%Nb alloy, with high strength and high conductivity, was prepared by mechanical alloying and subsequent hot pressing. The microstructure and properties of the alloys after consolidation at different temperatures were investigated. The alloy, subjected to hydrogen-annealing of milled powders at 560°C for 1h and then vacuum hot-pressing sintering under 30MPa pressure and 900°C for 2h, has a microhardness of 334 HV, a tensile strength of 1102MPa, a yield strength of 1043MPa, and an electrical conductivity of 57% IACS (International Annealing Copper Standard). The as processed alloy is characterised by Nb nanoparticles dispersed in the nanocrystalline Cu matrix. The high strength of Cu–Nb alloy is related with the microstructure, i.e. the nanocrystalline grains produce the grain boundary strengthening, while the Nb nanoparticles produce the precipitation strengthening. The grain boundaries and the nanoparticles are also found to influence the electrical conductivity of the alloy considerably.
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