Thermomechanical treatment of spinodal Cu-32Ni-2Cr alloy

Abstract

Progress in spinodal decomposition of a Cu-32Ni-2Cr alloy subjected to quench?age and quench?work?age treatments have been studied through hardness measurements as well as by X-ray diffraction techniques. It is found that recovery processes occur during early stages of aging which are interpreted in terms of the migration of matrix dislocations to interfaces. The kinetics of spinodal decomposition is found to be enhanced by prior deformation. Thermomechanical treatment results in a substantial increase in strength.