Microstructure and Strengthening Mechanisms
of CuNb Composites

E. N. Popova*, L. A. Rodionova*, V. V. Popov*, S. V. Sudareva*,
E. P. Romanov*, A. E. Vorob’eva**, E. A. Dergunova**,
A. K. Shikov**, and V. I. Pantsyrnyi**

* Institute of Metal Physics, Ural Division, Russian Academy of Sciences,
ul. S. Kovalevskoi 18, Ekaterinburg, 620219 Russia
** Bochvar All-Russian Research Institute of Inorganic Materials, a/ya 369, Moscow, 123060 Russia

Received June 13, 1997

Abstract—Transmission electron microscopy, optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and microhardness mea-
surements were used to study (1) the Cu–Nb(NbTi) microfilament composite, containing about two million nio-
bium filaments filled with the NbTi alloy, after deformation of the composite assembly from 18 mm to 1.5, 0.8,
and 0.4 mm in diameter and (2) in situ-produced Cu–Nb pseudocomposites after deformation of the conductor
to a diameter of 0.67 mm and annealing at 300 and 600°C. The “substructural” and “barrier” strengthening
mechanisms are discussed to explain the enhanced strength of these materials. Effects of deformation and
annealing on the structure of the composites were studied. The strengthening is thought to be mainly caused by
thin niobium filaments with a fine substructure rather than by a high dislocation density.

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