Deformation Processed Cu-Cr in Situ Composite Produced Using Directionally Solidified Ingot

The influence of directional solidification technique on the microstructure, electrical conductivity and tensile strength of deformation processed Cu-7Cr in situ composite produced by thermo-mechanical processing were systematically investigated. The microstructure, mechanical and electrical properties were evaluated using optical microscope, scanning electronic microscope, tensile-testing machine and micro-ohmmeter, respectively. The results show that the Cr phase transforms into fine and uniform Cr fiber-like grains parallel to the growth direction from the Cr dendrites after using directional solidification technique, which led to a higher tensile strength and a better combination of properties.