Tensile properties optimization of Al/electroplating-Cu composites fabricated by accumulative roll bonding (ARB)

Abstract

A novel method combing electroplating and ARB was used to manufacture multilayer composites in this research. Pure Cu was electroplated on the Al-1060 and stacked with the Al-1060 sheets alternately; as a result, the multilayer metals were made into composites by ARB. It is indicated that both grains and AlCu intermetallic compounds significantly refined, together with well-bonded interfaces after ARB. Note that the tensile properties improved significantly. By applying 6 cycles of ARB, both the yield stress (YS) and ultimate tensile stress (UTS) were increased by more than 100 MPa and a negligible adverse influence on the elongation was caused. Therefore, it is very promising to apply this strategy of combining electroplating and ARB to produce composites with superior properties.