Precipitation kinetics in Ag–7.5 wt.% Cu alloy studied by isothermal DSC and electrical-resistance measurements

The precipitation kinetics of the β phase in Ag–7.5 wt.% Cu alloy (“sterling silver”) is investigated through on-line differential scanning calorimetry and electrical-resistance measurements during ageing in the temperature range 413–620 K. The results are examined in the light of the Komolgorov–Johnson–Mehl–Avrami model: an Avrami exponent n = 1.5 fits all the experimental data, in agreement with a diffusion process having an activation energy of Ea = 110 kJ/mol.