Effect Of Cu Addition Research Articles

Effect of Cu Addition on Localized Corrosion Originating from MnS Inclusions for Low-alloy Steel in a 3% NaCl Solution

Effect of Cu Addition on Localized Corrosion Originating from MnS Inclusions for Low-alloy Steel in a 3% NaCl Solution

Benchmarking wire-fed and autogenous laser beam welding to study the effect of Cu additions on weld integrity of 6060-T6 aluminium extrusion

In the automotive industry 6xxx aluminium alloys are preferred materials, yet their fabrication contributes to a considerable carbon footprint. A promising strategy to mitigate the environmental impact is the increased utilisation of recycled (secondary) aluminium, sourced from diverse scrap streams. However, as aluminium scraps come from different sources, the intrinsic variability of chemical composition, stemming from uncontrollable levels, poses a challenge, impacting material properties and weldability. Balancing manufacturability while enhancing the adoption of recycled alloys becomes a critical effort. This study aims at benchmarking wire-fed and autogenous laser beam welding to study the effect of Cu inclusions on weld integrity of 6060-T6 extrusion. The paper contributes to show the impact of Cu addition during laser welding of 6060-T6 aluminium alloys. Findings highlighted that the modification of chemical composition using filler wires is currently the most efficient approach to improve joint strength, although the Cu additions tend to reduce the weld strength.

Effect of Cu Addition on Abnormal Grain Growth in a FeMnAlNi-Based Superelastic Alloy

Effect of Cu Addition on Abnormal Grain Growth in a FeMnAlNi-Based Superelastic Alloy

Effect of Cu addition on the properties of Pd-based metallic glasses by experimentation and molecular dynamics simulations

The effect of trace Cu element additions on the properties of Pd-based amorphous alloys was investigated by a combination of experimental and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Thin ribbons of Pd40Ni40P20 and containing different proportions of Cu (1 %, 3 %, and 5 %) were prepared, analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) to determine the phase structure, tested for their thermal properties by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and nanoindentation to test their mechanical properties. Meanwhile, the amorphization process and compression behavior of these alloys were simulated by MD simulation, and the microstructures of the alloys were resolved by using the radial distribution function (RDF) and the coordination number distribution function (PDF), and the glass transition temperatures (Tg) were deduced from the energy variations. The Voronoi polyhedral analyses showed that the addition of trace amounts of Cu altered the content of the specific clusters, which affected the macroscopic mechanical properties. Both nanoindentation experimental and simulation results confirmed that the addition of trace Cu reduces the Tg and improved the mechanical properties of the Pd40Ni40P20 alloy while maintaining the amorphous structure.

Effect of Cu addition on the physical and mechanical properties of a Ni–Mn–In–Co polycrystalline shape memory alloy

The martensite transformation (MT), magnetocaloric effect (MCE), and mechanical properties of the polycrystalline Ni46Mn36In14Co4 (Co4) alloys with doping of 4 at.% Cu were examined. A large magnetization change (ΔM, 92 emu/g), large magnetic entropy change (ΔSM, 37.3 J kg−1K−1), high refrigerant capacity (RC, 261 J kg−1), relatively high sensitivity to magnetic fields (2.8 K/T), and two-way magnetic-field-induced MT were attained at approximately room temperature. Moreover, the compressive fracture strength and strain of the alloy reached 335 MPa and 7.4 %, respectively. Finally, the mechanism of the excellent combination properties of the Ni42Mn36In14Co4Cu4 (Co4Cu4) alloy was discussed. This study can aid in the development of high-performance magnetic refrigeration and intelligent actuator materials.

Effect of Cu Addition Above the Solubility Limit on Microstructure Formation and Cu Segregation in 800 MPa Grade Ductile Cast Iron During Solidification

In this study, the effect of 3 mass%Cu additions on microstructure formation and Cu segregation in 800 MPa grade ductile cast iron during solidification was investigated. The calculated phase diagram showed that after the addition of 3 mass%Cu, the Cu phase with a negligible amount appeared below 1000°C, and most Cu was included in the matrix. Based on optical microstructure, after the addition of 3 mass%Cu, the size of graphite nodules became finer, and the microstructure rarely had an area with α-ferrite. Image analysis showed that the fraction of pearlite increased significantly, indicating that Cu greatly promoted the formation of pearlite. Compositional analysis by scanning electron microscopy indicated that the pearlitic area also contained approximately 3 mass%Cu, which corresponds to those of primary and secondary austenite calculated. A small and bright phase particle containing a large amount of Cu was observed at the interface of graphite and matrix.

Tailorable copper-bearing titanium alloys with remarkable strength and ductility fabricated by spark plasma sintering for biomedical applications

Titanium and Ti-based alloys are widely used metallic biomaterials, however, the surgical infections related to bacteria always occur on the implants. Developing the antibacterial titanium alloys has been studied as one of the most effective methods to lower the inflammatory response. The addition of Cu element to Ti matrix can produce strong antibacterial properties. Here, the antibacterial Ti-xCu alloys (x = 3, 5, and 7 wt%) were fabricated by powder metallurgy (PM) technique using spark plasma sintering (SPS) route. The effects of Cu addition, SPS temperature, and post-heat treatment on microstructure and tensile properties of Ti–Cu alloys were investigated. The strengthening and deformation mechanisms were also discussed. The microstructures of PM Ti–Cu alloy consisting of α-Ti and Ti2Cu phases are fine and homogenous as well as free of porosity. With the increasing Cu addition, the yield and tensile strengths of Ti–Cu alloys increase, but the elongation decreases. The precipitation of Ti2Cu phases contributes the most increments of yield strength, and can also act as the barriers to pile up the dislocations during the plastic deformation, improving the work hardening rate and tensile strength. PM Ti–Cu alloys possess a good tensile strength of 575–810 MPa, and an excellent elongation of 11%–29%. The optimized tensile properties of PM Ti–5Cu alloys are comparable and even superior to those of Ti and other Ti-based alloys produced by traditional methods. Further, insights for the design and processing of PM Ti–Cu alloys with ample shaping freedom fabricated by SPS method are generalized and discussed.

On corrosion of zirconium alloy in dissolved oxygen water: The role of Cu addition

It is significantly important to improve the corrosion resistance of Zr-Sn-Nb alloys in dissolved oxygen (DO) high temperature water by compositional modification. Here, the effect of Cu addition on the corrosion behaviors of Zr-0.5Sn-0.2Nb-0.4Fe-0.2Cr alloy was studied by using an autoclave circulating water loop at 360 °C/20 MPa up to 250 days. The oxide microstructures were characterized by a combination of SEM, TEM, STEM-EELS and PED. The results showed that compared with 0Cu alloy and 0.07Cu alloy, 0.13Cu alloy shows better corrosion resistance and its final weight gain after 250 days exposure is even lower than that of commercial Zr-4 alloy. The oxides for 0.07Cu and 0.13Cu alloys show more ordered crystals, thinner oxide and less lateral cracks, and the columnar grains show a stronger {10–3} texture, compared to Cu-free counterpart. The t-Zr2Cu SPPs have oxidized in the oxygen-rich layer below the O/M interface. The Cu ions tend to diffuse towards the grain boundary of dense columnar grains and maybe strengthen the grain boundaries, avoiding the defect generation under intrinsic stress in the oxide.

Effects of Cu Addition on the Microstructures and Properties of WC-12Co Cemented Carbides Additively Manufactured by Laser Powder-Bed Fusion

Effects of Cu Addition on the Microstructures and Properties of WC-12Co Cemented Carbides Additively Manufactured by Laser Powder-Bed Fusion

Effect of Cu addition on the thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of Mg–Zn-xCu-Ce alloys

Thermal conductivity and mechanical properties of Mg–Zn-xCu-Ce alloys with different Cu contents under low extrusion temperature were systematically investigated in this work. The results shows that MgZnCu and Ce-rich (Mg, Zn, Cu, Ce) phase were formed in Mg–Zn-xCu-Ce alloys with high Cu content, which have significantly effect on the thermal conductivity and dynamic recrystallization (DRX). The distribution of grain morphology and LAGBs indicates that CDRX is the main mechanism. The addition of Cu element has an inhibitory effect on the DRX behavior, greatly refining the DRXed grains. After extrusion, a large amount of nano-phase is dispersed in the MZEC alloy, which has a strong pinning effect on dislocations. The formation of MgZnCu phase with high thermal conductivity sacrifices the solute atoms of Zn and Cu in α-Mg matrix, which leads to reduction of lattice distortion of Mg matrix, thereby ensuring high thermal conductivity of Mg–Zn–Cu–Ce ternary magnesium alloys. With the increase of Cu content, the strength and thermal conductivity of the alloy gradually increases. When the Cu content is 3.6 wt%, UTS (ultimate tensile strength), YS (yield strength), EL (elongation) and thermal conductivity are 350 MPa, 317 MPa,15.8% and 135 W/m∙K, respectively.

Effect of Cu addition on the mechanical properties and corrosion behaviours of Al–9.2Mg–0.8Mn alloy

Microalloying is an effective method to improve the properties of Al–Mg alloys. The microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosion behaviours of Al–9.2Mg–0.8Mn– xCu ( x = 0–1.2 wt-%) alloys are studied to promote the application of Al–Mg alloys. The addition of Cu increases the strength of the alloy, where the ultimate tensile strength of 0.6 wt-% Cu alloy is improved by 43 MPa. Moreover, the addition of Cu significantly affects the corrosion behaviours of alloys. For as-sensitised alloys, compared to the matrix, the 0.1 wt-% Cu alloy shows a 28.3% reduction in pitting corrosion mass loss, which is attributed to the Cu element can form a stable passivation film, and the 0.3 wt-% Cu alloy shows a 15% reduction in intergranular corrosion mass loss, which is attributed to the addition of Cu can restrict the β phase precipitation at grain boundaries. The study shows that Cu-alloying can improve the comprehensive properties of Al–9.2Mg–0.8Mn alloys.

Effect of Cu addition on the precipitation behavior of M2C carbides in maraging steel

In this study, two Ferrium S53 steels with and without 1.5% Cu were prepared. The microscopic morphology and structure of these steels during aging treatment were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The average equivalent spherical radius (Rv), volume fraction (ϕv), and number density (Nv) of Cu-rich precipitates and M2C carbides during aging treatment were analyzed by atom probe tomography (APT), and the spatial distribution, interfacial elemental segregation, and one-dimensional concentration profiles of the two types precipitates were also characterized. Based on the distribution of elements, 5%Cu and 9% (C + Mo) isoconcentration surfaces were selected to obtain Cu-rich precipitates and M2C carbides, respectively. The results demonstrate that the Cu-rich precipitates formed before the M2C carbides. The segregation of Cr and Mo elements at the phase interface due to the nucleation and growth of Cu-rich precipitates can promote the formation of the M2C carbides. The two types of precipitates display adjacent distribution relationship in steel. The number density of M2C carbides in steel contain 1.5%Cu can be greatly increased when the Cu-rich precipitates serving as nucleation particles. The formation of needle-like M2C carbides inhibited the coarsening of Cu-rich precipitates. More dispersive and fine M2C carbides were obtained in the steel.

Effect of Cu addition on electrochemical activity of ribbons of Mg-Al-Ca anode materials for magnesium rechargeable batteries manufactured by rapid solidification method

Effect of Cu addition on electrochemical activity of ribbons of Mg-Al-Ca anode materials for magnesium rechargeable batteries manufactured by rapid solidification method

Manufacturing high strength Ti alloy with in-situ Cu alloying via directed energy deposition and evaluation of material properties

In recent years, researchers have increasingly focused on alloy design in additive manufacturing (AM) to adjust the microstructure and improve the mechanical properties. The microstructure of columnar grains, strong texture, and chemical inhomogeneity in designed alloy exhibit anisotropic properties, which negatively affect the mechanical properties of the materials. One such material affected by this problem is titanium (Ti), which is known for its exceptional mechanical properties. Unlike other alloys, titanium lacks grain refiners that can ameliorate the columnar structure. Consequently, numerous studies are currently underway to refine the Ti grain through the addition of solute elements. In this study, Ti6Al4V with Cu element was deposited using the directed energy deposition (DED) process to investigate the feasibility of Ti6Al4V-xCu and analyze the effect of Cu addition. Ti6Al4V with Cu addition was successfully deposited and exhibited evenly distributed composition. In addition, finer grains were more created than the deposited Ti6Al4V by converting columnar to equiaxed grain due to the high cooling rate facilitated by high restriction factor Q of Cu. The deposited Ti6Al4V–4Cu of mechanical properties exhibited a 19 % increase in ultimate tensile strength, a 19 % increase in hardness at the top, and reduced elongation compared to the deposited Ti6Al4V, owing to the precipitation of Ti2Cu, grain refinement, and solid solution of Cu. However, although the hardness of the deposited Ti6Al4V–7Cu exhibited a 36 % increase in hardness at the top, Ti2Cu precipitate was generated significantly, which adversely exhibited a 26 % decrease in ultimate tensile strength compared to the deposited Ti6Al4V.

Effect of Cu addition on the tribological properties and oxidation behavior of nanomultilayered AlTiN/Cu coatings

As a soft metal, the addition of Cu has an important influence on the high-temperature tribological properties and oxidation behavior of nanomultilayered AlTiN/Cu coatings. At room temperature (RT), due to abrasive wear, the AlTiN coating exhibited a high friction coefficient of 0.97 and low wear resistance. After adding Cu layer, the friction coefficient gradually decreased to 0.59 at 18.4 at.% Cu due to the lubricating effect of soft metal Cu and CuO, and the best wear resistance was achieved at 2.9 at.% Cu. At 800 °C, the oxidation resistance sharply reduced after adding Cu layer, and exhibited oxidation delamination. At low Cu contents (≤4.5 at.%), by the inward diffusion of O, a mixed oxide layer of Al2O3, TiO2, and CuO formed. At 18.4 at.% Cu, by the outward diffusion and oxidation of Cu, double-layer oxides formed, and the top layer of CuO contributed to a low friction coefficient of 0.53, but also caused a reduce in the wear resistance.

Effect of Cu addition on the optical, electrical, and structural properties of ultrathin Ag-based oxide/metal/oxide multilayer films

Ga and Al co-doped ZnO (GAZO) were used as oxide layers to fabricate GAZO/Ag/GAZO sandwich multilayer transparent conductive films. The effects of Cu addition in the middle layer on the optical, electrical, and structural properties of multilayer films were investigated. The influences of the Ag-Cu layer and GAZO layer thickness on the optical and electrical properties of multilayer films were further studied. The experimental results show that co-sputtering Cu and adding an ultrathin Cu seed layer changed the growth pattern of Ag films. GAZO/Ag-Cu/GAZO and GAZO/Cu/Ag/GAZO multilayer films exhibit high optical transparency and high electric conductivity. The annealing treatment can enhance the optical and electrical properties of the GAZO/Ag-Cu/GAZO and GAZO/Cu/Ag/GAZO multilayer films. The lowest sheet resistance of 9.49 Ω sq−1 and maximum average light transmittance in the visible range of 95.74 % can be obtained for the GAZO/Ag-Cu/GAZO films. The corresponding figure of merit is 68.18×10−3 Ω−1. The addition of Cu in the GAZO/Ag/GAZO multilayer films led to high transmittance and low resistivity, which can be used in various photoelectronic fields to replace indium tin oxide films.

The role of Cu addition in the metallurgical features, mechanical properties, and cytocompatibility of cardiovascular stents biodegradable Zn-based alloy

Recently, Zn-based alloys have been considered a promising biodegradable material due to their excellent physiological degradable behavior and acceptable biocompatibility. However, poor mechanical performance limits its application, especially for cardiovascular stents. In this work, novel biodegradable Zn-xCu-0.8Mn-0.4Ag (x = 1, 2, 5 %Wt) alloys were prepared. The effects of Cu addition on microstructure, mechanical properties, and cytotoxicity of alloys were investigated. To modify the microstructure and improve the properties of the alloys, the secondary process of hot extrusion was applied. The results of XRD analysis showed that the above alloys have four phases of α-Zn, CuZn5, MnZn13, and Zn3Ag. After hot extrusion, the secondary phase particles were broken and spread throughout the structure. According to the hardness test, due to the presence of CuZn5 hard secondary phase particles, the hardness increased gradually. The tensile test showed that adding copper and performing a hot extrusion process can significantly improve mechanical properties. The as-extruded alloys exhibited suitable mechanical performances mainly due to the combined effects of solid solution strengthening, and second phase precipitation hardening. In particular, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and elongation for Zn-xCu-0.8Mn-0.4Ag (x = 5 wt) alloy reached the value of 255.47, 359.82 MPa, and 35.84 %, respectively, which meets the requirements of cardiovascular stent well. Cytotoxicity test also showed that homogenized and as-extruded alloys have acceptable in vitro cytocompatibility. According to the obtained results, Zn-xCu-0.8Mn-0.4Ag extruded alloys can be considered as potential candidates for cardiovascular stents.

Effect of Cu addition on the microstructure, thermal physical properties and cyclic ablation of C/C-AlSi composite

Al alloy modified C/C composites are one of the most promising light-weight materials. To understand the influence of alloying, AlSi and AlSiCu melts were pressure infiltrated into porous C/C skeletons respectively and the ablation properties were mainly studied. Results showed that Cu and Al generated Al2Cu in AlSi matrix, and the compression strength of the composite was enhanced while the thermal conductivity and the phase transition temperature decreased. The matrix alloy with Cu softened and melted faster and more during cyclic ablation, which protected the C/C skeleton form thermal stress damage. Thus, the addition of Cu led to a decrease in linear ablation rate.

Impact of copper on corrosion behavior, biocompatibility and antibaterial activity of biodegradable Zn-3Mg-xCu alloys for orthopedic applications

Biodegradable zinc (Zn) based materials have been regarded as promising candidates for orthopedic applications owing to their suitable biodegradability. However, pure Zn exhibited poor mechanical performance and inadequate biofunctionality, which restricted its biomedical applications. Herein, biodegradable Zn-Mg-Cu alloys were developed to enhance the mechanical strength of the Zn matrix and endow the alloys with antibacterial activity. The effect of Cu addition on corrosion behavior, biocompatibility and antibacterial activity of biodegradable Zn-3Mg-xCu alloys was systematically investigated. In vitro immersion test revealed that Zn-3Mg-1Cu exhibited an increasing corrosion rate of 0.0504 mm y−1. The relative cell availability of MC3T3-E1 cells was over 70% after co-culture with 2-fold diluted extracts of the Zn-3Mg-xCu alloy for 3 d, indicating acceptable cytotoxicity. The Cu addition could enhance the antibacterial activity of the Zn-3Mg matrix, and Zn-3Mg-1Cu alloy exhibited the highest inhibition zone diameter (IZD) values of 10.4 mm and 6.0 mm against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. Overall, the Zn-3Mg-1Cu could be recognized as a promising biodegradable orthopedic material owing to favorable degradation behavior, satisfying biocompatibility, and substantial antibacterial ability.

Improvement of soft magnetic properties of a Nanoperm-type Fe-Hf-B nanocrystalline alloy upon surface crystallization inhibition by Cu addition

Nanoperm-type alloy ribbons suffer from surface crystallization during melt spinning, which degrades their magnetic properties after annealing and limits their commercial application. Here, we investigate the effects of Cu addition on the structure and magnetic properties of a surface-textured Fe87-xHf5B8Cux alloy. Adding Cu (1 ≤ x ≤ 2) removes the surface coarse grains in the free surface of the melt-spun precursor, while induces the precipitation of large amounts of the α-Fe nanoparticles with ∼3 nm in size, which contributes a homogeneous ultrafine structure and improved magnetic softness after annealing. The grain size, coercivity, saturation magnetic flux density, and effective permeability at 1 kHz of the Fe86Hf5B8Cu1 nanocrystalline alloy are 13.3 nm, 6.6 A/m, 1.68 T, and 23000, respectively, whereas these are 16.0 nm, 16.8 A/m, 1.70 T, and 15000, respectively, for the Fe87Hf5B8 alloy. The Cu-improved effect is mainly attributed that Cu induces heterogeneous nucleation of the α-Fe phase to strengthen the competitive growth among grains.