The influence of continuous casting and extrusion processes on the properties and structure of CuNi2Si alloy and the morphology of the Ni-Si phase precipitates

Abstract

CuNiSi alloys are widely used in various mechanical and electrical applications. These group of materials, due to the phenomena of precipitation hardening, are able to obtain high mechanical properties with also relatively high electrical properties. In the article authors compare two different types of products, made from the CW111C alloy i.e. rods which were continuously cast on the horizontal laboratory casting set-up (low degree of structure refinement) and rods commercially extruded with high degree of structure refinement. The presented results of experimental work characterize the tested materials in terms of their chemical composition, mechanical and electrical properties depending on the manufacturing process, as well as reveal their structures and the effect of heat treatment on the morphology of the Ni-Si precipitates.

Keywords

• CuNiSi alloy
• continuous casting
• extrusion
• heat treatment
• microstructure