Title
Microstructure and mechanical properties of ball milled nanocrystalline copper
reinforced by nano alumina.
Abstract
Nanocrystalline materials exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to their
coarse grain counterparts. These unique mechanical properties are mainly attributed to
the microstructure having a high volume fraction of grain boundaries. Nanocrystalline
copper reinforced by fine oxide particles combines superior mechanical properties
such as high yield stress and hardness together with high electrical and thermal
conductivity. In my talk I will focus on nanocrystalline copper dispersion
strengthened by nano-alumina particles. The raw material of the composite was first
ball milled to obtain the nanocrystalline structure and then consolidated via extrusion
and hipping processes. I will present the mechanical properties of the material and its
microstructure using several observation techniques. I will also discuss the effect of
the processing, the microstructure and the dispersion on the strength of the material.
In addition, I will address the mechanism of plastic deformation that these materials
display.