Speaker
Description
Copper-based alloys are widely used in advanced electrical, thermal, and structural applications because of their excellent electrical conductivity, thermal transport, and corrosion resistance. However, their industrial applications are often limited by the traditional trade-off between mechanical strength and electrical conductivity, in which conventional strengthening methods may reduce electron transport efficiency. Thermo-Mechanically Controlled Processing (TMCP) has emerged as an effective strategy to overcome this limitation by controlling the integration of deformation and heat-treatment processes to optimize alloy microstructure and properties.
The present article provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in TMCP of Cu-based alloys, with particular emphasis on Cu-Al, Cu-Cr-Zr, Cu-Ni-Si, Cu-Fe-P, and Cu-Ti systems. The influence of key processing parameters, including deformation temperature, strain level, strain rate, rolling schedule, aging treatment, and cooling conditions, on microstructural evolution is critically discussed. Special attention is given to recrystallization behavior, precipitation kinetics, grain refinement, dislocation substructures, and texture development, as well as their effects on strength and electrical conductivity.
The discussion highlights the important roles of nanoscale precipitates and ultrafine-grained microstructures in achieving simultaneous enhancement of tensile strength, hardness, wear resistance, and conductivity. Recent experimental findings, physically based models, and thermodynamic-kinetic simulation approaches are analyzed to clarify the relationships among processing, microstructure, and properties. In addition, the growing importance of Gleeble-based physical simulation and advanced characterization techniques for optimizing TMCP routes and predicting alloy performance is discussed.
The findings demonstrate that optimized TMCP schedules can produce Cu-based alloys with tensile strengths exceeding 700 MPa while maintaining conductivity levels of 70–90% IACS. Such performance makes these alloys highly attractive for applications in power generation, electrical connectors, resistance welding electrodes, transportation, and advanced electronic systems.