Critical strain for mechanical alloying of Cu–Ag, Cu–Ni and Cu–Zr by high-pressure torsion

Cu–Ag, Cu–Ni and Cu–Zr alloy systems were subjected to high-pressure torsion with various rotations from 0.5 to 50, which can reach very large equivalent strains of up to 3000. The processed samples finally transformed into Cu–Zr, Cu–Ag amorphous alloys and Cu–Ni solid solution from elemental metals after being deformed to critical equivalent strains of 427, 592 and 411, respectively. The feasibility of mechanical alloying can therefore be evaluated in terms of critical equivalent strain through the high-pressure torsion process.