The effect of wire drawing and aging on mechanical and electrical properties of Cu-Cr-Zr alloy

Abstract The aim of the present study is to investigate changes of the mechanical and electrical properties in the Cu-Cr-Zr alloy depending on the thermomechanical treatment history (TMT). The nine cases of the experiments were conducted depending on the combination of the wire drawing and aging. The Cu-Cr-Zr alloy was solution-treated at 980˚C for 1h, and then water quenched. The wire drawing with 20% area reduction per each pass was carried out up to two passes (ɛ = 45) and four passes (ɛ = 0.89), respectively. Aging at 480°C for 1h was applied. The mechanical and electrical properties were measured by the tension, Vickers micro-hardness tests and a four-point probe method at room temperature. According to the measurement data, the mechanical strength of the specimens was increased by the wire drawing and it was increased with higher strain of the specimen with or without the aging. However, the ductility and electrical conductivity were decreased after the wire drawing. On the other hand, both mechanical and electrical properties of the specimens were increased after the aging. This increment was due to the generation of the precipitates during the aging. The mechanical and electrical properties of the alloy were changed depending on the order of the cold working and aging. The wire drawing before aging was advantageous in terms of the ductility and electrical conductivity, but the wire drawing after aging was advantageous for the increase in the strength. It can be construed from the current investigation that the mechanical and electrical properties of the Cu-Cr-Zr alloy could be improved by the combination of the cold working and aging, and both properties are dependent on the TMT history.