Microstructure evolution and property enhancement of CuCr50 alloys through the synergistic effects by hot-forging deformation and heat treatment

In this study, CuCr50 alloys were prepared by aluminum thermal reduction-high frequency refining process, and the properties were improved through hot forging and heat treatment. With increasing deformation, large Cr particles were spheroidized and refined, significantly improving the performance of the alloy. When the deformation exceeds 27%, the conductivity reaches 17.73 MS/m, the hardness reaches 116.5 HB, and the density reaches 7.91 g/cm3. After solution at 975 °C for 1h and aging at 550 °C for 4h, the conductivity of the CuCr50 alloy further increased to 19.63 MS/m, the hardness reaches 121.5 HB. Compared with the as-cast alloy, the conductivity, hardness and density are increased by 71.07%, 18.81% and 2.99%, respectively. In the 5% deformed CuCr50 alloy the precipitates of nanoscale Cr particles formed a co-lattice with the copper matrix. In the 14% deformed CuCr50 alloy, nanoscale Cr particles precipitated and dispersed in the Cu matrix, and the relationship between the precipitated Cr phase and the Cu matrix was incoherent. The amount of precipitated Cr phase in the 27% deformed CuCr50 alloy had a semi-coherent relationship with the Cu matrix, the orientations of Cu(2‾00)//Cr(110). The hardness enhancement is mainly attributed to grain refinement and density increase, and the conductivity enhancement is mainly attributed to Cr particle precipitation after aging treatment.