Internal Friction Peaks of Cold Worked Cu–Au Alloys

Internal friction of cold worked Cu–Au alloys in the concentration range between 0.02 and 5 at%Au is measured as a function of temperature from -196^° C to +50^° C with an inverted torsion pendulum. An internal friction peak is observed at about -50^° C when a deformed specimen is annealed at 100°C for an appropriate time. This peak appears most prominent in an alloy, Cu–1.5 at %Au, and is interpreted to be due to the interaction between dislocations and small clusters of gold atoms.