Claims
- 1. A high strength high conductivity aluminum conductor of elongated geometry comprising:
- an aluminum matrix containing from about 0.5 to about 1.5% Cu surrounding a plurality of Al.sub.9 Co.sub.2 intermetallic fibers oriented parallel to the axis of elongation of the conductor, with the fibers having a diameter of from about 0.1 to about 2 microns, said fibers comprising from about 1 to about 4% by volume of the conductor, said conductor being characterized by ductilities in excess of about 5%.
- 2. A conductor as in claim 1 wherein the matrix contains from 0.75 to 1.0% Cu.
- 3. A conductor as in claim 1 wherein the conductor has been cold worked at least 80%.
- 4. A conductor as in claim 1 wherein the copper is in solid solution in the matrix.
- 5. A conductor as in claim 1 wherein at least some of the copper in the matrix is in the form of copper rich precipitates.
- 6. A method for producing a high strength high conductivity aluminum conductor including the steps of:
- (a) providing an aluminum-cobalt-copper material substantially of eutectic composition which when solidified will produce an aluminum matrix containing from about 1 to about 4 volume percent of the Al.sub.9 Co.sub.2 intermetallic, with the matrix further containing from about 0.01 to about 2.0% Cu;
- (b) solidifying the eutectic under conditions of coupled growth to produce Al.sub.9 Co.sub.2 intermetallic fibers in an aluminum-copper matrix;
- (c) heat treating the solidified eutectic at a temperature above the solvus temperature so as to place the copper in solid solution;
- (d) working the solidified eutectic at least 80% to break up the Al.sub.9 Co.sub.2 intermetallic fibers and orient the broken up fibers.
- 7. A method as in claim 6 in which the solution treated eutectic is aged at a temperature below the solvus temperature to precipitate at least a portion of the copper as a copper rich precipitate, said aging step being performed prior to step d.
- 8. A method as in claim 7 wherein the aging step is performed at an intermediate point during step d.
- 9. A method as in claim 7 wherein the aging step is performed subsequent to step d.
- 10. A method as in claim 6 in which the working operation includes a hot working operation followed by a cold working operation.
- 11. A method as in claim 10 in which the solidified eutectic material is solution heat treated at a temperature above the solvus temperature for a period of time sufficient to place the copper in solid solution and then quenched to a temperature below the solvus temperature, said solution heat treatment being performed as step c.
- 12. A method as in claim 11 in which the solution treated eutectic is aged at a temperature below the solvus temperature to precipitate the copper as copper rich precipitate, said aging step being performed immediately prior to the cold working portion of step d.
- 13. A method as in claim 12 wherein the aging step is performed at an intermediate point during the cold working portion of step d.
- 14. A method as in claim 12 wherein the aging step is performed subsequent to the cold working portion of step d.
- 15. A conductor as in claim 1 wherein up to about 25% of the Co in the Al.sub.9 Co.sub.2 intermetallic is replaced with Fe.
- 16. A method as in claim 6 wherein up to about 25% of the Co in the Al.sub.9 Co.sub.2 intermetallic is replaced with Fe.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. Ser. No. 768,698, filed Feb. 15, 1977, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Name |
Date |
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3807016 |
Schoerner et al. |
Apr 1974 |
|
3807969 |
Schoerner et al. |
Apr 1974 |
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3830635 |
Chia et al. |
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3989548 |
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|
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
768798 |
Feb 1977 |
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