Study on the thermal stability of Cu-14Fe in situ composite without and with trace Ag

The thermal stability of Cu-14Fe and Cu-14Fe-0.07Ag in situ composites is investigated. The evolution of Fe filaments in two composites is analyzed detailedly by annealing at high temperature. The results indicate that the Cu-14Fe in situ composite exhibits two kinds of evolution of Fe filament, the longitudinal splitting of Fe filaments at low temperature (below 600°C) and spheroidization of Fe filaments at high temperature (above 600°C). With the addition of trace Ag, the longitudinal splitting of Fe filaments at low temperature is accelerated, while spheroidization of Fe filaments at high temperature inhibited. The microstructure evolution procedure of Cu-14Fe without and with trace Ag has been modeled. This work would promote the understanding of the microstructure evolution of Cu-Fe in situ composite.