Novel oxide-dispersion-strengthened copper alloys from rapidly solidified precursors: Part 1. Microstructural development

ZrO₂, Y₂O₃, and rare earth oxides with related structures are attractive candidates for dispersion strengthening of copper alloys but pose significant processing challenges owing to the low solubility of the oxide-forming elements in Cu. It is shown that the problems may be circumvented by a synthesis approach coupling rapid solidification and internal oxidation, followed by standard powder metallurgy consolidation. Cu-Zr and Cu-Y alloys were melt spun into ribbons ∼-50-to 150-Μm thick and internally oxidized at 1023 to 1223 K to yield ∼1 vol pct of ZrO₂ or Y₂O₃ particles ranging in size from 5 nm up to ∼3150 nm. The coarser oxides result from direct oxidation of the intermetallic segregate, whereas the finer ones are generated by a dissolution-reprecipitation process. The relative proportions of fine and coarse oxides and the homogeneity of the distribution are related to segregation scale in the melt-spun ribbon and the relative permeabilities of oxygen and the oxidizable element in the alloy, which depend on the internal oxidation temperature. The oxide dispersoids were mostly cubic zirconia or cubic yttria and exhibited predominantly cube-on-cube orientation relationships with the matrix. Analysis of particle shapes revealed that the dominant interfaces are of the type {001}_OX ∥ {001}_Cu and {1ˉ11}_OX ∥ {1ˉ11}_Cu and could be explained by image charge interaction concepts. Extrusion produced an elongated grain structure but no significant changes in the oxide distribution. MICHAEL S. NAGORKA, formerly Graduate Research Assistant, High Performance Composites Center, Materials Department, College of Engineering, University of California at Santa Barbara