Metals (Oct 2023)

Effect of Controlled Heat Treatment and Aluminum Additions on the Strengthening of Cu–Ni-Based Alloys

  • Isai Rosales-Cadena,
  • Jose Gonzalo Gonzalez-Rodriguez,
  • Constancio Diaz-Reyes,
  • Rene Guardian-Tapia,
  • Juan Antonio Ruiz-Ochoa,
  • America Maria Ramirez-Arteaga,
  • Roy Lopez-Sesenes

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/met13111835
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 13, no. 11
p. 1835

Abstract

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In this investigation, Cu–Ni alloys with different aluminum additions were synthetized under a vacuum atmosphere to reduce the material density. Annealed alloys in a He atmosphere with low aluminum concentration exhibited a coarse dendritic structure, while samples with high aluminum concentration exhibited a refined dendritic structure. Structural defects analyses have shown relatively low vacancy concentrations. Hardness evaluations indicated an increment by approximately 5 times i.e., 370 HVN, more than that for the alloyed samples compared with the as-cast and unalloyed samples. Compression tests have shown a noticeable strengthening improvement (360 MPa), mainly in samples heat treated with 10 at.% Al, while samples with 5 at.% Al showed an acceptable resistance (270 MPa) as well. In general, the sample with 10 at.% Al presented the best performance to be considered as potential structural material.

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