Effect of heat treatment on the microstructure and properties of Cu-0.6Cr-0.2Zr alloy induction coil in electromagnetic steel-teeming system

•Cu-0.6Cr-0.2Zr alloy coil material in EMST replaced pure copper because of its higher softening temperature.•Cu-0.6Cr-0.2Zr alloy mechanical and electrical properties impact the induction coil service life.•Optimal mechanical and electrical alloy properties result from solid solution, cold deformation and aging treatment.

The Cu-0.6Cr-0.2Zr alloy has been used as a new coil material to improve the performance and service life of coils in an electromagnetic steel-teeming system. The purpose of this work was to improve the properties of the Cu-0.6Cr-0.2Zr alloy to satisfy the coil requirements of a high strength and a high conductivity. For studying the effect of heat treatment on the properties of Cu-0.6Cr-0.2Zr alloy, the copper alloy was exposed to heat treatments of cold deformation and aging after high-temperature solid solution. The effects of aging treatment on the properties of the Cu-0.6Cr-0.2Zr alloy at different cold deformations were examined by a tensile mechanical-property test, electrical-conductivity measurements, microstructure observations and SEM. The Cu-0.6Cr-0.2Zr alloy has optimal comprehensive properties after solution treatment at 960 °C for 1 h, and 50% cold deformation and aging at 450 °C for 6 h, and the hardness, strength, elongation and electrical conductivity reached 225.2 HV, 522.7 MPa, 8.3% and 89.5% IACS, respectively.