Microstructure, Thermal Stability and Consolidation of Nanostructured and Ultrafine Structured Cu based Metal Matrix Composite and Alloy Powders Produced by High Energy Mechanical Milling

Ultrafine grained and/or nanostructured Cu and Cu-(2.5-10)vol.%Al2O3 composite balls/granules/powder particles were produced using two high energy mechanical milling (HEMM) routes respectively. The microstructural evolution of the as-milled Cu and Cu-Al2O3 composite balls/granules/powder particles produced using Route 1 (12hours) and Route 2 (Route 1 + 12 hours milling under another condition) of milling was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microcopy (TEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) mapping. The study confirmed that HEMM can be effectively used to disperse (2.5-10)vol.%Al2O3 nanoparticles into a ultrafine grained or nanocrystalline Cu matrix after both routes of milling. The as-milled Cu and Cu-Al2O3 composite balls/granules/powder particles were heat treated at 150, 300, 400 and 500 C for 1 hour, respectively, to determine the thermal stability of the microstructure and corresponding microhardness change as a function of annealing temperature. It was found that for Cu and Cu-2.5vol.%Al2O3 composites after heat treatment at 150 C, the Cu grain sizes decreased due to recrystallisation, and increasing the annealing temperature to 300 C causes slight coarsening of the Cu grains. Further increasing the annealing temperature to 500 C caused significant coarsening of the Cu grains and the Al2O3 nanoparticles. With increasing the volume fraction of Al2O3 nanoparticles, (i) the thermal stability of the Cu-Al2O3 composite increases, (ii) the microstructure of the Cu matrix became finer, and (iii) the coarsening of Cu grains in the composite powder particles after annealing at 500 C become less severe. The average microhardness of the Cu-Al2O3 composites decreased after annealing at 150 C due to decrease of dislocation density, then remained almost unchanged with increasing the annealing temperatures to 300 C and 400 C. Further increasing the annealing temperature to 500 C caused significant decrease in average microhardness due to reduction in dislocation density and grain coarsening, suggesting that Cu-Al2O3 composites are thermally stable at temperatures up to 400 C. Pure copper powder and Cu-Al2O3 composite powders produced using Route 2 were compacted by hot pressing at 350 C followed powder compact forging. Increasing the volume fraction of Al2O3, the average microhardness increased for the forged Cu-Al2O3 composites. A decrease in tensile fracture strength was examined for the Cu-Al2O3 composites with the increase of the volume fraction of Al2O3 as 2.5% to 10%. Nanostructured Cu-(1-4)at.%Pb alloy powder particles were produced using Route 1 of high energy mechanical milling. The microstructural evolution and thermal stability of microstructure of powder particles as a function of annealing temperature were examined. It was found that heat treatment at 150 C caused slight coarsening of the Cu grains, and increasing the annealing temperatures to 300 and 500 C caused significant coarsening of the Cu grains. The average microhardness of the Cu-Pb alloy powder particles decreased after annealing at 150 C due to decrease of dislocation density, and then remained almost unchanged with increasing the annealing temperature to 300 C. Further increasing the annealing temperatures to 400 C and 500 C caused significant decrease in average microhardness due to reduction in dislocation density and grain coarsening, suggesting that Cu-Pb alloy powders are thermally stable at temperatures up to 300 C.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

The University of Waikato

Year dc:date.issued

2010

Author dc:creator

• Mukhtar, Aamir

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Zhang, Deliang

• high energy mechanical milling
• nanostructured materials
• metal matrix composites
• copper metal and alloys
• heat treatment
• powder consolidation
• microstructural evolution
• mechanical properties
• powder processing

Statement dc:rights

• All items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.