Formation mechanism and organizational controlling of ultra-fine-grain copper processed by asymmetrical accumulative rolling-bond and annealing

The initial copper with large grain sizes of 60–100 μm was processed by six passes asymmetrical accumulative rolling-bond (AARB) and annealing, the ultra-fine-grained (UFG) copper with grain size of 200 nm was obtained, and the microstructures and properties were studied. The results show that there are large sub-structures and also texture component C for the UFG copper obtained by six passes AARB, possessing high strength and microhardness in company with poor elongation and conductivity. Thereafter, the UFG copper was annealed at 220 °C for 35 min, in which the sub-structures disappear, the grain boundaries are composed of big angle grain boundaries, and the textures are composed of a variety of texture components and parts of twins. Compared with the UFG copper obtained by six passes AARB, the tensile strength and yield strength for the UFG copper obtained by six passes AARB and annealing at 220 °C for 35 min are decreased slightly, the elongation and conductivity are improved obviously.