Effect of the Combined Heat Treatment and Severe Plastc Deformation on the Microstructure of Cunisi Alloy

The aim of this work was to study the microstructure and functional properties of CuNi₂Si₁ alloy. The material was prepared classically by melting, casting, hot rolling and cold rolling. The obtained strips were processed with combined operations of supersaturation, ageing and one of the intensive deformation method - repetitive corrugation and straightening. The efficiency of RCS operation in shaping of functional properties in precipitation hardened copper alloys depends not only on tool geometry and operating parameters but also on whether and at what stage of strip production the supersaturation operation was applied. Application of the supersaturation before RCS operation broadens the potential to shape the set of functional properties. Comparable functional properties of the precipitation hardened copper alloy strips can be reached without application of the supersaturation operation in their manufacturing processes. The process of RCS applied after annealing, and the potentially slightly lower mechanical properties would be compensated by higher electrical conductivity.