Influence of stacking fault energy and strain rate on the mechanical properties in Cu and Cu-Al-Zn alloys

The effects of stacking fault energy (SFE) and severe plastic deformation on the strength and ductility of Cu and Cu-Al-Zn alloys were systematically investigated. With lowering SFE, the crystallite size decreased while the microstrain, dislocation density and twin density all increased. Tensile testing results demonstrate that the tensile strength and uniform elongation increase with decreasing SFE, but the total elongation to failure first decreases with lowering SFE and then increases. The relationship between microstructure and mechanical behavior is briefly discussed in the paper.