Mechanical Properties of Different Coppe

Mechanical properties of two Cu alloys (electrolytic and fire refined) severely deformed by the equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) process were investigated. The objective was to analyze the mechanical and electrical behavior of these nanostructured copper alloys. The methodology involved treating the samples with annealing heat treatment at 600ºC for 30 minutes, followed by extrusion in a Φ=90º ECAP die at room temperature according to route Bc, introducing varying degrees of deformation across multiple ECAP passes from 1 to 16. The results revealed significant changes in mechanical properties following the initial ECAP pass, with a gradual increase in mechanical properties noted for successive passes. Conversely, electrical conductivity exhibited a decreasing trend with the increasing number of ECAP passes. These findings contribute to the understanding of how severe plastic deformation techniques, such as ECAP, can optimize mechanical properties and affect the conductivity of copper alloys.