Development of Cu-Cr alloy

Objectives

 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%)

Theoretical background

 The chromium content ranges from 0.5 to 1.2%.

 Copper-chromium alloys can be made in all fabricated forms but are mostly available as rod,
bar or forgings.
 In the molten state the added chromium, like many other refractory metals, oxidizes readily,
increasing the viscosity of the liquid and causing possible inclusions in the casting, but the
alloy can be readily cast by foundries with the required expertise.
 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.
 Application:
Copper-chromium alloys are commonly used in rod form for spot welding electrodes, as bar
for high strength conductors and as forgings for seam welding wheels and aircraft brake
discs. As castings they find applications as electrode holders and electrical termination
equipment where the shape required is more complex than can be economically machined.

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 experimenta
setup
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
o Additions are kept same in 3 different melting techniques
o And recovery of Cr in every process is measures
o And here in every heat min material should be such that at least 5 tensile test bar
can be produced
o 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

Experimental set-up
1. Material selection
During every heat the base material (Cu and Cr) will be kept same in manner of composition,
volume. And its main aim to keep same is to judge the Cr recovery during every process.
The Cu is in Form of 99% pure ingot.
And Cr is 99% pure and in form of small granules.

Charge calculation

For D=25 mm

H = 160 mm

As per the equation for the volume; volume V=78500 mm 3

And for the other mould filling

Volume = 252000 mm3

Total volume=330500 mm3 = 330.5 cm3

Total mass M= volume *density

=330.5 * 8.94

=2954.67 gm

So weight of 5 bars = 14773.35 gm = 14.8kg

Melting techniques

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 1350 oC 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.
2. Slag crucible melting
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

In this process 600 gm of slag comprising of 20% CaF 2 -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 (mm 3) 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.
3. Addition of silicon
First of all take graphite crucible
In this first melting a portion of Cr and then making additions of Cu and Si
The temp. of the melt should be kept high as much as 1500 oC and melting may be done in
induction furnace.
The above described order of additions has many advantages in producing sound and
homogeneous alloy.
Composition within the part of the diagram marked “zone of miscibility “form a single
homogeneous liquid phase alloy.
 Thermal treatment
This alloy is age hardenable so post heat treatment will improve its strength and other
mechanical properties
This alloy is generally first solutionized at nearly 1000 OC for nearly 1-2 hrs and ageing is
carried out at nearly 450-510 OC for nearly 0.5-1 hr
This solutionizing and ageing treatment is carried out in furnace
After this post heat treatment there is drastic change in mechanical properties like hardness,
strength and electrical conductivity.

Characterization and fractography

During this process the various test are necessary to check the quality of the material.
1) EDXRF
This test is carried out for measuring the composition of alloy at a single point.
Through this test we can get the amount of Cr% present in the alloy
2) Tensile test
This test is carried out for the measuring the strength of the alloy. Normally the strength
of Cu-Cr alloy is twice of that of pure Cu. And the strength is imp requirement to
development of this alloy.
3) Hardness test
During ageing process there is precipitation of Cr take place. So hardness of this alloy is
more than the pure Cu. its theoretical data of hardness is near to 90HB.which is greater
than the pure Cu
4) Electrical conductivity
Here there will be decrease in the electrical conductivity. But our aim is to get electrical
conductivity more than 75% IACS
5) Wear resistance
Wear testing is carried out in machine. its wear resistance is greater than that of pure
Cu(Theo).
6) Micrography
Microstructure will be seen in SEM or TEM
7) Fractography
Fractography will be done on specimen failed during the tensile testing