The precipitation behaviours and strengthening mechanism of a Cu-0.4 wt% Sc alloy

The precipitation behaviours during the aging process and the corresponding strengthening mechanism of a Cu-0.4 wt%Sc alloy were systematically investigated in this study.The phase transformation sequence of the precipitation in the aging process of the Cu-0.4 wt%Sc alloy was found to be:supersaturated solid solution→Sc-enriched atomic clusters→metastable phase→Cu4Sc phase.The tetragonal structured lamellar Cu4Sc precipitates,with a habit plane parallel to the{111}plane of the Cu matrix and orientation relationships of(022)_(α)//(211)_(Cu4Sc)and[011]_(α)//[113]_(Cu4Sc),are found homogeneously distributed in the matrix.A combined process of cryogenic rolling(CR)and aging was designed for optimization of the mechanical and electrical properties.Excellent integration of yield strength(696 MPa)and electrical conductivity(62.8%IACS)of this alloy was achieved by cryogenic rolling and subsequent aging process at 400℃for 4 h.The significant precipitation strengthening effect of this alloy is attributed to the Cu4Sc precipitates with an extremely small size of only 1.5–3 nm.The leading strengthening mechanism is considered as the superposition of both coherent strengthening and Orowan strengthening effects.