Abstract
The ductility of a wrought 90Cu–10Ni alloy was investigated by tensile testing over a range of temperatures and for materials of different initial grain sizes. Ductilities were found to vary in a complex manner with temperature and grain size, but at all temperatures above 650 K failure occurred by grain boundary cavitation; good ductilities were associated with either grain boundary migration or recrystallisation during deformation. The microstructures of the deformed specimens were studied using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, and the orientation of cracked boundaries, with respect to the tensile axis, was studied. Analysis of the results indicates that over the temperature range studied more than one cavity growth mechanism was operating. The ductility is discussed in terms of the relationship between the cavity growth mechanisms and restoration processes.
MST/722
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