Optimizing structure and properties of Al/Cu laminated conductors via severe shear strain

The study is focused on determining the relations between electric properties and structural features within newly designed laminated Al/Cu conductors manufactured via rotary swaging at room temperature and subjected to two post-process heat treatments. Structure analyses were performed via scanning and transmission electron microscopy, mechanical properties were investigated via microhardness measure-ments, and electric properties during direct and alternating current transfers were both experimentally examined and numerically simulated. Fabrication of the laminate via rotary swaging introduced advanta-geous combinations of electric and mechanical properties, the design of the laminate had favourable effect on decreasing power losses during alternating current transfer, too. Specific electric resistivity was affected particularly by structural features, such as grain size, grain boundaries and twinning, and texture or-ientations and intensity. The lowest specific electric resistivity (22.7 omega mx10-9) was measured for the swaged laminate heat treated at 350 degrees C featuring structure restoration. Annealing at 250 degrees C imparted partial structure restoration resulting in bimodal grain size distribution and substantial deterioration of the electric properties. (c) 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.