Development of Cu-Cr alloy for

wear resistance application

 Presentation contains

• Literature survey
 What is alloy
 Objective of Cu-Cr alloy development
 Physical properties of Cu and Cr
 Phase diagram
 Theory
 Various methods of preparation
 Application
• Plan of work
 What is alloy? [1]

• An alloy is a partial or complete solid solution of one or more elements

in a metallic matrix.

• Complete solid solution alloys give single solid phase microstructure,

while partial solutions give two or more phases that may be
homogeneous in distribution depending on thermal (heat treatment)
history.

• The physical properties, such as density, reactivity, Young's modulus,

and electrical and thermal conductivity, of an alloy may not differ
greatly from those of its elements, but engineering properties, such as
tensile strength and shear strength may be substantially different from
those of the constituent materials.
 Objective for Cu-Cr alloy
development[2]

• To achieve solubility limit around 1 to 1.29% Cr by using various

melting techniques

• Evaluate the three methods of melting practice for their performance

• To study the characteristics and performance of Cu-Cr composite

(Cr more than 10%)
 Physical properties of Cu and Cr[3]
Table 1 : physical properties of Cu and Cr
Copper Chromium

Phase Solid Solid

Density 8.94 g·cm−3

7.19 g·cm−3
Liquid density at M.P. 8.02 g·cm−3 6.3 g·cm−3

Melting point 1357.77 K 1084.62 °C 1984.32 °F 2180 K 1907 °C 3465 °F

Boiling point 2835 K 2562 °C 4643 °F 2944 K 2671 °C 4840 °F

Heat of fusion 13.26 kJ·mol−1 21.0 kJ·mol−1

Heat of vaporization 300.4 kJ·mol−1 339.5 kJ·mol−1

Specific heat capacity (25 °C) 24.440 J·mol−1·K−1 (25 °C) 23.35 J·mol−1·K−1
Phase diagram for Cu-Cr[4]
 Theoretical background

• The Cu-Cr alloys are age hardenable which in this case means that a change in
properties occurs at elevated temp due to precipitation of chromium out of the solution.
• The strength of fully aged Cu-Cr is nearly twice that of pure Cu and its conductivity
remains high at 85% IACS or 85% that of pure Cu.
• These high strength alloys retain their strength at elevated temperatures. The
corrosion resistance of chromium copper alloys is better than that of pure copper
because chromium improves the chemical properties of the protective oxide film.
• The age hardening reaction occurs because the solid solubility of chromium in copper
decreases as the temperature decreases.
• The structure of slow cooled chromium copper is a two phase mixture of chromium
and alpha copper. Superior mechanical properties are achieved by fast-cooling the
chromium copper alloys from the annealing temperature, so the chromium remains in
a supersaturated solid solution with the copper.
• Followed by an aging treatment where the chromium precipitates from the solid
solution forming a very fine dispersion of precipitates in the matrix.
• The microstructure of a quenched or quickly cooled chromium copper alloy appears
similar to that of the unalloyed copper.
• A fast cool prevents the chromium from precipitating out of the solid solution, so the
resulting cast structure consists of a single phase alpha copper structure.
• The first material to solidify is pure copper, followed by a eutectic mixture of alpha Cu
and chromium.
• The alpha and chromium eutectic material forms a lamellar structure in the
interdendritic regions.
• The microstructure of the wrought alloy consists of equiaxed, twinned grains of alpha
copper solid solution.
• Typically the alloy is cooled rapidly so the chromium remains in alpha copper solid
solution.
• The tempering treatment allows the chromium to precipitate out of solution forming a
dispersion of chromium precipitates throughout the matrix.
• The chromium precipitates, or hardening precipitates, can be very fine and may not be
visible at low magnification.
Effect of composition variation

• This alloy is normally known as Chromium-Copper alloy. It is high Cu alloy

• And amount of Cr varies from 05-1.2 % (wt%)
• In this range it is homogeneous solid solution, above this range there is no
homogenous structure. it makes banded structure
• As the Cr content increases there is increase in strength and decrease in
conductivity.
• The strength increase nearly twice when there is decrease in conductivity up
to 80%IACS
Thermal treatment

• Cu-Cr alloy is age hardenable alloy

• In this there is steps like
• Solutionizing treatment – followed by rapid quenching - then ageing is carried out

Solutionizing
• In this treatment, heating is carried out above 1000 0C to make homogeneous alloy
and soaking is done at this temp. for about 1-2 hr. and it is followed by rapid
quenching to create pores..

Ageing
• In this treatment, heating is carried out at 450-510 OC to precipitation hardening after
this treatment there is considerable change in strength. And it is done for nearly 0.5-1
hr.
Melting practice

• During manufacturing of this alloy there is problem of oxidation of Cr during

heating/ melting
• To form Cr2O3 . to avoid this it is covered with graphite powder. Graphite
powder is sprinkled on the surface to cover it
• In this normally heating is carried out at 1350-15000C.
• Here there is different methods to develop this alloy. It will be explained in
experimental setup
 Various methods of preparation

There are four different methods for preparation

through casting route
1. Crucible melting

2. Elcetroslag crucible melting

3. Addition of Si \ Fe-Si
 1. Crucible melting
• First of all take a graphite crucible.

• And copper ingots are placed in crucible and then melting is carried out.

• When Cu is completely melted further heating up to 1350oC is carried out.

• And then small granules of Cr is added into the crucible to prevent sticking

• Heating is carried out up to Cr is completely dissolved into the melt.

And the full melt is covered with coal.

• And then the liquid metal is poured into the mould.

 Process variation

1. Atmosphere

2. Temperature

3. Size of the Cr particles

4. Ageing temp. and time

 2. Electro slag crucible melting [7]

• In this process 600 gm of slag comprising of 20% CaF2 -30% CaO –

30% SiO2 – 20%NaF is prepared

• In this composition of slag Cr2O3 90 gm mixed.

• Then the slag mixture was preheated in a furnace at 800 oC for 2h.

• The preheated slag was charged into the crucible after charging of
Cu scrap.

• The slag was rammed after charging and formed a sintered cake on
top of Cu charge (4 kg).
• The melt was held until Cu as well as slag had melted.

• Aluminium pieces weighing in total 32gm and measuring 5*5*5 (mm3) were
added to the slag for in-situ reduction of Cr oxide present in the slag.

• The melt was for 10 min.

• During the process graphite powder was sprinkled after every charge.
• Theory :
it was observed that aluminium added to the melt floated on top of the slag
until it had melted.
After melting, the liquid aluminium does not join the metal pool below.
This may because the density of liquid Al is less than that of liquid slag (2.6-
2.8 gm/cm3) and significantly less than that of liq. Cu. hence the reaction
shown below occurs in the bulk phase of slag and the Cr generated in the
slag phase joints the metal below thereby to Cu-Cr alloy formation

Cr2O3 + 2Al = 2 Cr + Al2O3

 Process variations

1. Slag composition

2. Composition

3. Ageing temp. and time

 3. Addition of silicon [5]

• It is found that by the addition of sufficient silicon, relatively

large amounts of copper may be dissolved in chromium or
ferrochromium to form a substantially homogeneous alloy

• The alloys of invention may be made by melting a portion of

chromium or ferrochromium, adding a portion of silicon or
ferrosilicon and then making addition of copper and silicon
alternately

• The temp of melt should be 15000C and melting may suitably

done in electric furnace or induction furnace
Composition within the part of
diagram marked “zone of
miscibility” form a single
homogeneous liquid phase at
or slightly above the melting
point of composition and this
liquid when cast, forms a
substantially homogeneous
ingot
 Process variation

1. Composition

2. Sequence of charging

3. Ageing temp. and time

 Applications [7]

• Cu-Cr alloys are used in number of engineering applications

• Electric resistance welding electrodes
• Liner tubes of continuous casting crystallizer
• Integrated circuit lead frame
• Aerial conductor of electric locomotive
• Other electrical and mechanical power transmission device
• Circuit breaker parts
• High strength fasteners for elevated temperatures
 Plan of work
• Total 5 heats are taken for development of Cu-Cr alloy
• 3 heats carried out in such manner to achieve max. 1.29% Cr
recovery
• And other 2 heats with high Cr (more than 10%)

• For 3 heats
 Additions are kept same in 3 different melting techniques
 And recovery of Cr in every process will be measured
 And here in every heat min material should be such that at least
5 tensile test bar can be produced
  And from this 5 test bars
• 2 test bar is taken for further heat treatment (solutionizing and
ageing)
• Other 2 test bar is taken directly for testing
• And other 1 bar is kept in spare
• This thing will be carried out to describe the effect of heat
treatment
• For 2 heats
• These heats are carried out for higher Cr content (more than 10%)
• and the further testing is similar to above
 References
1. Google definations (key word : alloy)
2. www.copper.org
3. www.wikipedia.co.in (keyword : Copper and Chromium)
4. ASM handbook Vol 3 (Pg No. 680)
5. United states patent paper (Patented Oct 1936, James H.
critchett)
6. Metal science and heat treatment (Vol 48 Nos. 9-10,2006 )
7. Journal of material science (Pg No. 3321-3325 ,2000 )
8. Russian journals of non ferrous (Vol. 49 No.1 pp – 28-30
2008)
9. www.sciencedirect.com (keyword : Cu-Cr alloy)
10. www.springerlink.com (keyword : Cu-Cr alloy)