Microstructure and properties of Cu–1.0Cr–0.2Zr–0.03Fe alloy

The effects of thermo-mechanical processing on the microstructure and properties of Cu–1.0Cr–0.2Zr-0.03Fe alloy are studied. The results show that the alloy has a strong aging strengthening effect, and cold rolling prior to aging can significantly increase the strength of the alloy. The optimum thermo-mechanical processing is proved to be solution treatment at 960 °C for 2 h followed by 60% cold rolling and aged at 450 °C for 4 h, under which the tensile strength 527 MPa, yield strength 487 MPa and electrical conductivity 82% IACS can be obtained. The high strength of the alloy can be explained by the substructure strengthening due to cold rolling and precipitation strengthening of the α-Fe phase and fine chromium-rich phase as well as coherent CrCu2Zr particles transformed from the fcc initial precipitates.