Enhancing the Electrical Conductivity of

Electrolytic tough pitch copper rods were processed by Incremental Equal Channel Angular Pressing and subjected to short-term annealing. The primary objective of this study was to enhance the electrical conductivity while maintaining favorable mechanical properties. Conductivity levels of 94 pct IACS were achieved without significant changes in the microstructure or mechanical properties, which reached levels up to 130 HV0.2. This result illustrates a superior ratio of electrical conductivity to strength when compared to other processing methods. The methodology involved utilizing Severe Plastic Deformation techniques to refine grain size and improve mechanical strength without altering the copper's chemical composition. This research demonstrates that the proposed processing method can effectively produce rods of considerable sizes that exhibit not only good mechanical strength but also enhanced electrical conductivity. As a result, the findings provide insight into efficient manufacturing solutions in the metallurgical field, particularly for applications requiring optimal performance of copper materials.