Microstructures and mechanical properties of rapidly solidified Cu-Cr alloys

Rapidly-quenched CuCr alloys have been prepared by melt-spinning and the microstructures and mechanical properties examined as a function of alloy content and subsequent annealing treatment. Mechanical properties have been successfully measured by tensile testing on the ribbon samples and it is shown that this method is more suitable than hardness testing for a proper evaluation of the materials. An alloy containing 2% Cr has been prepared in the totally solid-solution state, whilst a 5% Cr alloy contains large chromium particles distributed uniformly throughout the ribbon and fine-grain-sized CuCr solution. These large chromium particles are deduced to arise by a uniform, primary-solidification mode prior to, and independent of, the nucleation and growth of the copper from the lower ribbon surface. The increased solid solubility obtained allows extensive precipitation and strengthening following ageing: the primary chromium particles play an important role both in strengthening and in restricting grain coarsening