Investigation of the structure and properties of a laboratory sample of a Cu-Cr alloy contact wire

Abstract

The use of methods of severe plastic deformation (SPD), allows to increase the complex of mechanical and physical properties in low-alloy heat-resistant bronzes. In this paper, special attention was paid to deformation heating under high loads, which is an important factor for the processes of structure formation and phase transformations in Cu-Cr alloys. To study deformation heating and its effect on structure formation and phase transformations, the method of modeling in the Deform-3D environment is used in this work. A study of the peculiarities of changing the structure of a laboratory sample of a contact wire and an assessment of the contributions to hardening during ECAP-shaping and post-deformation aging has been carried out. Modeling of the ECAP process with wire shaping indicates that the workpiece is heated up to 510 °C. The strip structure in Cu-0.65Cr alloy with an average transverse fragment size of 400±18 nm obtained in the process of ECAP with shaping and subsequent aging provides a strength of 540±20 MPa and an electrical conductivity of 76% IACS.