Study of the Effects of Heat Treatment on Structural and Mechanical Properties of Cu/Ni/Al Layered Composite Produced by Accumulated Roll Bonding

Abstract

The accumulative roll bonding (ARB) method is a sophisticated process that employs severe plastic deformation to fabricate laminated composites with favorite microstructures and mechanical characteristics. In this research, a Cu/Ni/Al composite was produced through the ARB technique subjected to a series of heat treatments with different temperatures and durations. The subsequent discussion is about the effects of ARB and heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Mechanical assessments were conducted through tensile and hardness tests. The findings indicated that increased ARB passes resulted in a notable grain refinement and a more consistent distribution of nickel and aluminum within the copper matrix. The strength in the first pass was 165 MPa, while it reached 270 MPa in the fifth pass. The ARB process significantly improved the microhardness of Cu, Ni, and Al, with values rising from 81, 110, and 24 HV to 139, 144, and 74 HV, respectively. Heat treatment facilitated improved homogeneity, with optimal results achieved at 1050 °C for 60 minutes, yielding the most uniform solid solution. Before heat treatment, the crystallite size was 17 nm, while it reached 77.5 nm after that.