INFLUENCE OF THE TiB2 PARTICLES ON THE MICROSTRUCTURAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THE CuCrZr ALLOY

Reinforced CuCrZr alloy with TiB2 particles was produced using powder metallurgy (PM) techniques. The commercially prealloyed CuCrZr powder was combined with elemental powders Ti and B. Both prealloyed CuCrZr powder and powder mixture CuCrZr–4.1wt.%Ti–1.86 wt.%B were mechanically alloyed (MA) for 5 hours in argon inert atmosphere using high-energy ball mill (Turbula mixer). Mechanical alloying was applied to provide good distribution of Ti and B particles inside the CuCrZr, and to ensure their activation for in situ formation of TiB2 particles during sintering. MA powders were cold pressed with applied pressure of 140 MPa, and sintered at 1030°C for 2 hours in argon. Structural parameters and phases present in the MA powders and obtained compacts were investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Crystallite size and strain, determined by XRD, were used to calculate dislocation density in the CuCrZr and CuCrZr-TiB2 alloys. By observing structural parameters, it can be noted that the addition of Ti and B decreases crystallite size and lattice parameters of the CuCrZr matrix. XRD analysis confirmed formation of the reinforcing particles TiB2 after sintering. Scanning microscopy was employed for investigation of the microstructure and distribution of reinforcing particles inside the CuCrZr matrix. In situ formation of TiB2 particles inside the CuCrZr matrix increases hardness values up to 30% compared to hardness of the CuCrZr compact. Acknowledgement This work was funded by the Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovations of the Republic of Serbia (Contract No. 451-03-136/2025-03/200017) and by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia, Grant No. 7365, Development of dispersion-strengthened metal-based materials for applications in fusion reactor - DisSFusionMat.