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Ultra-high strength, high conductivity Cu-Ag alloy wires

Journal Article · · Acta Materialia
 [1];  [2]
  1. National Research Inst. for Metals, Tsukuba, Ibaraki (Japan). Tsukuba Magnet Labs.
  2. National High Magnetic Field Lab., Tallahassee, FL (United States)

A new wire-conductor fabrication method has been developed for Cu-Ag alloys containing 6--24 wt% Ag in which ultra-high strength and high conductivity are obtained by cold drawing combined with intermediate heat treatments. At optimized stages of cold drawing, the wires were given five intermediate heat treatments at 330--430 C for 1--2 hr. This new fabrication method has made it possible to get ultra-high strength at low reduction. The optimized Cu-24 wt% Ag alloy wire with a total drawing strain of {eta} = 5.8 shows an ultimate tensile strength of 1.5 GPa and an electrical conductivity of 65% IACS at room temperature. One advantage of this processing from a manufacturing point of view is that a special technique, such as rebundling, is not required to obtain ultra-high strength, only cold drawing combined with intermediate heat treatments. Also, this fabrication method has made it possible to produce ultra-high strength at low reductions making high-strength, large cross-section conductors a possibility. The wires fabricated by this method are promising candidate conductors for high-field pulse magnets.

Sponsoring Organization:
National Science Foundation, Washington, DC (United States); Florida State Energy Office, Tallahassee, FL (United States)
OSTI ID:
483619
Journal Information:
Acta Materialia, Journal Name: Acta Materialia Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 45; ISSN 1359-6454; ISSN ACMAFD
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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