Nano-grained pure copper with high-strength and high-conductivity produced by equal channel angular rolling process

Equal channel angular rolling, based on the equal channel angular pressing, is a severe plastic deformation process which can develop the grains below 1 m in diameter. Microstructure, mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of commercial pure copper strips processed by equal channel angular rolling were investigated. Scanning electron microscopic micrographs of the strips produced by ten passes of equal channel angular rolling process showed nano-grains similar to 70-200nm in size. Also yield and tensile strengths and microhardness of samples increased with increasing the number of passes, whereas their ductility decreased. The electrical conductivity varied slightly. So via equal channel angular rolling process and by producing nano-grained pure copper, the strips can be strengthened with a little decrease in electrical conductivity but it has shortcomings of low elongation and strain hardening. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.