Deformation Behavior of Bulk Ultrafine Grained Copper Prepared by Sub-Zero Rolling and Controlled Recrystallization

Present study aims to investigate the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of bulk nanocrystalline/ultrafine grained pure Cu obtained after controlled recrystallization of samples heavily cold-deformed at cryogenic temperature. Microstructural characterization has been carried out by X-ray diffraction analysis and hardness measurements. Mechanical behavior has been investigated by tensile testing. Significant dependence of mechanical property on grain size has been recorded. Present study indicates that conventional rolling at subzero temperature followed by controlled recrystallization may be utilized as an effective method for development of bulk Cu with two- to three-fold improvement in yield strength in comparison to its coarse grained counterpart with moderate ductility and toughness.