Influence of chromium in nanocrystalline copper–chromium pseudoalloy on its structure and properties

Abstract

Copper-based nanocomposite pseudoalloys with a chromium content of 25 to 45 wt % have been obtained via the spark plasma sintering. The treatment of powder blends with various chromium contents in the planetary mills is found to cause pronounced changes in the electrical and mechanical properties of materials. The electric resistance of materials with the increasing amount of chromium exhibits the nonlinear rise. This dependence is also correlated with the size of sintered granules, unlike the dependence of hardness, which linearly increases with the increasing chromium concentration (i.e., with the enlarging interfaces).