Effect of Alternating Bending on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Tough-Pitch Copper

The structure and mechanical properties of tough-pitch copper are studied after alternating elastoplastic deformation (bending). It is shown that alternating bending of a 3-mm-thick strip of tough-pitch copper raises the microhardness and produces a gradient of its values, i.e., the microhardness is minimum in the middle (with respect to the thickness) part of the strip and maximum near its surfaces. After the first pass of alternating bending the conventional yield strength of the strip increases by a factor of 1.5 without degradation of the elongation. The structural factors affecting the variation of mechanical properties of tough-pitch copper under alternating bending are determined.