Characterizations on Precipitations in the Cu-Rich Corner of Cu-Ni-Al Ternary Phase Diagram

Three kinds of Cu-Ni-Al alloys, whose chemical compositions are located in the Cu-rich corner of the isothermal section of the Cu-Ni-Al ternary phase diagram, were prepared by melting and casting firstly, and then solution and aging treatments were carried out. The microstructure was characterized and the competitive formation process of Ni-Al intermetallics were discussed. The results show that there are little amounts of NiAl phase at the grain boundary and needle- or particle-like Ni3Al phase inside the Cu matrix in all the as-cast alloys, although they are in the single-phase area. Solution and aging treatments mainly result in the disappearance and precipitation of Ni3Al phase, but the precipitations during aging are much smaller than those in the as-cast alloys. Thermodynamics and kinetics calculation indicate that the NiAl intermetallic wins out in the solidification process because of its lower change in Gibbs free energy, while Ni3Al phase is first to precipitate during aging due to its lower formation enthalpy and required Al concentration. The most important contribution of this work is that it proves that intermetallics can precipitate from the so-called single-phase zone in the Cu-rich corner of the Cu-Ni-Al phase diagram, which is the necessary prerequisite for the realization of high strength and high electrical conductivity.

Automated summary

Three Cu-Ni-Al alloys were prepared and subjected to solution and aging treatments. The formation process of Ni-Al intermetallics was discussed. The results showed the presence of NiAl phase at the grain boundary and Ni3Al phase inside the Cu matrix in all as-cast alloys, although they were in the single-phase region. Solution and aging treatments led to the disappearance and precipitation of Ni3Al phase, with smaller precipitations during aging. Thermodynamics and kinetics calculations explained the dominance of NiAl intermetallics during solidification and the precipitation of Ni3Al phase during aging due to its lower formation enthalpy and required Al concentration.