Tensile and electrical properties of direct aged Cu-Ni-Si-x%Ti alloys

Abstract

In this study, the tensile and electrical properties of aged Cu-4Ni-Si-Ti (C4NS-Ti) alloys, with and without solution heat treatment (SHT) prior to aging, were examined. The C4NS specimens, without and with 0.09 and 0.18 wt% of Ti, were prepared and either SHT + aged or DAed (directly aged) at 450 A degrees C for various durations ranging from 0 to 6 h, and the tensile and electrical properties were measured. It was demonstrated that the combined tensile strength/electrical conductivity was substantially greater for the DAed C4NS specimens as compared to the SHT + aged counterparts, and the addition of Ti provided further improvement. The aging responses of DAed C4NS specimens were also strongly affected by added Ti. The effect of SHT on the tensile and electrical properties of aged C4NS alloys and the change in aging behavior with the addition of a small amount of Ti were discussed as a function of aging time based on the micrographic and fractographic analyses.