Cost-effective production of CuCrZr alloy using powder metallurgy

Promising copper-based material with potential application in future fusion reactors, as construction material, is CuCrZr alloy. The aim of this study was to produce improved CuCrZr alloy using powder metallurgy (PM). Applied PM techniques were mechanical alloying, cold pressing and sintering. The commercially produced prealloyed CuCrZr powders was mechanically alloyed (MA) for 5 hours in argon inert atmosphere using high-energy ball mill (Turbula mixer). Mechanical alloying was employed to increase dislocation density inside the Cu matrix which will contribute hardness enhancement after densification. Structural parameters (crystallite size, strain and lattice parameters) of MA powders and compacts were investigated using X-ray diffrac-tion. Obtained results indicate that after mechanical alloying, crystallite size and lattice parame-ters of copper matrix decrease compared to starting material. Further, XRD analysis confirmed presence of CuZr reinforcing particles after sintering. Microstructural analysis and distribution of reinforcing particles inside the Cu matrix were performed using SEM and XRD. Measurements of hardness showed that in situ formation of CuZr inside the Cu matrix significantly raise hard-ness values 45% compared to hardness of pure copper compact.