Effect of cavitation on post-deformation tensile properties of a superplastic copper-base alloy

TLDR: In this paper, the effects of cavitation on post deformation tensile properties were studied for a microduplex Cu-Zn-Ni alloy, and it was shown that increasing the volume fraction of cavities also changed the appearance of the fracture surface from cup and cone to macroscopically brittle.

Abstract: The effects of cavitation, introduced during superplastic tensile flow, on post-deformation tensile properties have been studied for a microduplex Cu-Zn-Ni alloy. Increasing levels of cavitation of up to 4 percent by volume caused a progressive reduction in tensile strength, while ductility was decreased to a substantially greater extent. Increasing the volume fraction of cavities also changed the appearance of the fracture surface from cup and cone to macroscopically brittle. A post deformation annealing treatment reduced the level of cavitation and caused an increase in room temperature ductility, but the proportion of cavities removed during annealing became progressively less as cavitation was increased.