Be-free Cu alloy exhibiting ultra-high strength and moderate tensile ductility

Using a combined technique of rapid quenching and additional thermo-mechanical treatment, we prepared the Be-free Cu alloy with an exceptional strength (1.5 GPa) together with a modest tensile ductility (~2.5%). The measured properties of the developed alloy are comparable to or well beyond those of the current Be-bearing Cu alloys and were attributed to the networked skeleton of the constituent phases modulated by a simple thermo-mechanical treatment. In this study, we report on the strategy and method used to prepare the Be-free Cu alloy with a balanced combination of high strength and tensile ductility.