A well-balanced strength and electrical conductivity in rolled composite prepared by in-situ TiB2p/Cu composite powder

The TiB2p/Cu composites were prepared by current-assisted vacuum hot pressing (CAVHP) combined with rolling using in-situ spherical TiB2p/Cu composite powder as raw material. The effects of rolling deformation on the microstructure and properties of the sintered TiB2p/Cu composite were investigated. The results show that CAVHP leads to a rapid densification of the composite powder compact, and the subsequent rolling deformation is able to eliminate the unclosed pores and achieve a uniform distribution of TiB2p. The dynamic recrystallization during cold rolling refines the Cu matrix grains to ultrafine grains with an average grain size of 0.47 μm. The cold rolled TiB2p/Cu composite obtains a remarkable comprehensive performance with ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and electrical conductivity of 621 MPa, 567 MPa and 86.3% IACS, respectively. In addition, the strengthening and fracture mechanism of the cold rolled TiB2p/Cu composite are analyzed. This work will explore a new technological solution for the preparation of high-performance Cu matrix composites.