1. Comparative study of Sc and Er addition on microstructure, mechanical properties, and electrical conductivity of Al-0.2Zr-based alloy cables
- Author
-
H. Wang, Danqing Yi, Bin Wang, Jiayi Zhang, and Haisheng Wang
- Subjects
010302 applied physics ,Materials science ,Annealing (metallurgy) ,Mechanical Engineering ,Alloy ,Recrystallization (metallurgy) ,02 engineering and technology ,engineering.material ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,Condensed Matter Physics ,Microstructure ,01 natural sciences ,Indentation hardness ,Mechanics of Materials ,Electrical resistivity and conductivity ,0103 physical sciences ,Volume fraction ,engineering ,General Materials Science ,Grain boundary ,Composite material ,0210 nano-technology - Abstract
The effect of the addition of 0.1 wt% Sc and 0.1 wt% Er on the deformation microstructure, Vickers microhardness, and electrical conductivity of Al-0.2 wt% Zr-based alloy cables annealed at 400 °C for different times was investigated. The comprehensive properties of Al-0.2Zr-0.1Sc were better than those of Al-0.2Zr-0.1Er. The optimal conditions for the Al-0.2Zr-01Sc alloy cable were a microhardness of 575 MPa, an electrical conductivity of 34.5 MS/m for an annealing time of 36 h, and those for the Al-0.2Zr-0.1Er alloy cable were a microhardness of 550 MPa, an electrical conductivity of 33.6 MS/m for an annealing time of 8 h. During the annealing process, dispersed Al3(Zr,Sc/Er) precipitates were generated, which substantially impeded recrystallization by Zener pining of grain boundaries. Based on the ratio of volume fraction (FV) to average diameter ( d ¯ ) of the precipitates, their capability to inhibit recrystallization was as follows: Al3(Zr, Sc) > Al3(Zr, Er) > Al3Zr. Moreover, the electrical conductivity of Al-0.2Zr-0.1Sc was better than that of Al-0.2Zr-0.1Er, probably because Sc could better inhibit recrystallization than Er, leading to fewer grain boundaries and hence lesser electron scattering.
- Published
- 2018