Influence of Fe addition on microstructure and properties of Cu-Ag composite

We investigated the effects of Fe content on microstructure and properties in as-cast and as-drawn Cu-(5.1-x) vol%Ag-x vol%Fe alloys. In microscale, increasing Fe content first refined and then coarsened Cu dendrites. In nanoscale, the size and length of Ag precipitates in Fe-doped alloys were smaller than the size and length of Ag precipitates in Fe-free alloy, and the γ-Fe precipitates in Cu-2.9 vol%Ag-2.4 vol%Fe alloy were finer than the γ-Fe precipitates in Cu-5.1 vol%Fe alloy. The maximum hardness in as-cast Cu-Ag-Fe alloys was found in the Cu-2.9 vol%Ag-2.4 vol%Fe alloy. With increasing drawing strain, both ultimate tensile strength and hardness of Cu-Ag-Fe composites were increased. Simulation data among the relative volume fractions of Fe, hardness and electrical conductivity showed that, as the relative value approached 40%, the Cu-Ag-Fe composite displayed greater hardness than other samples. As a small amount of Ag was replaced by Fe, the electrical conductivity decreased significantly with a descending slope of approximately 3%IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard) per vol% Fe. As 47 vol%Ag was replaced by Fe, however, the electrical conductivity decreased by 51% and remained almost invariable with further increasing Fe content. After annealing at 450 °C for 4 h, the electrical conductivity of the Cu-2.9 vol%Ag-2.4 vol%Fe composite was elevated up to 68.3%IACS from 38.5%IACS.