Influence of Cerium Addition on Microstructure and Properties of Cu-Ag Alloy in Situ Filamentary Composites

【Abstract】 The in situ filamentary composites based on the Cu-10Ag and Cu-10Ag-Ce alloys were prepared. The microstructure and properties of the composites were studied. The effects of Ce addition on the microstructure as cast, including refining Cu grains and the Ag filaments, increasing the proportion of (Cu+Ag) eutectic and decreasing the proportion of the Ag precipitate, were researched. The average size of the Ag filaments in the composites could be approached by a formula: d=C·exp(-0.228η), here C is a coefficient related to the size of the original grains and 1500 nm for Cu-10Ag and 800 nm for Cu-10Ag-Ce. A two-stage strain strengthening effect was found for the deformed composites, that is the dislocation strengthening at low strain stage and the ultra-fine Ag filaments or interface strengthening at the high strain stage. The intermediate heat treatment at lower temperature further refined the Ag filaments and therefore improved the properties. The high strengthening rate of Ce addition on Cu-10Ag alloy attributed the refining effect to Cu grains and Ag filaments. The typical properties of the heavy deformed composites with 1 IHT reached to UTS=1500 MPa with conductivity 62% IACS for the Cu-10Ag alloy and UTS=1550 MPa with conductivity 65% IACS for the Cu-10Ag-Ce alloy, respectively.更多还原