Microstructure and properties of Cu-Cr-Zr alloy after rapidly solidified aging and solid solution aging

The structure and properties of Cu-Cr-Zr alloy were studied after rapidly solidified aging and solid solution aging. At the early stage of aging (500°C for 15 min), the hardness and the conductivity of the alloy rapidly solidified are 143 HV and 72% IACS, respectively. Under the same aging condition, the hardness and electrical conductivity of the alloy solid solution treated can reach 86 HV and 47% IACS, respectively. The microstructure was analyzed, and the grain size after rapid solidification is much smaller than that after solid solution treatment. By rapidly solidified aging the fine precipitates distribute inside the grains and along the grain boundary, while by solid solution aging there are large Cr particles along the grain boundary.