Cu nanowhiskers embedded in Nb nanotubes inside a multiscale Cu matrix: the way to reach extreme mechanical properties in high strength conductors

Vanessa Vidal (1, 2) , L. Thilly (2) , Florence Lecouturier (1) , P.-O. Renault (2)

1 LNCMP - Laboratoire National des Champs Magnétiques Pulsés
2 LMP - Laboratoire de métallurgie physique

For the development of high pulsed magnets, reinforced Cu/Nb/Cu conductors composed of a multiscale Cu matrix embeddingNb nanotubes were produced by severe plastic deformation. While the Nb nanotubes exhibit a rather homogeneous microstructurewith maximum grain size of 100 nm andh110itexture, a complex microstructure was pointed out in the Cu matrix with bimodalgrain size distribution and duplex texture (h111iandh200iorientations). The Cu/Nb/Cu system is also characterized by elevatedtensile strength that follows a modified rule of mixture. The Cu nanofilaments inside Nb nanotubes behave as nanowhiskers.

Mots clés: Severe plastic deformation; High strength conductor; Texture; Nanocomposite; Whiskers

Domaines: Supraconductivité [cond-mat.supr-con]

Vanessa Vidal, L. Thilly, Florence Lecouturier, P.-O. Renault. Cu nanowhiskers embedded in Nb nanotubes inside a multiscale Cu matrix: the way to reach extreme mechanical properties in high strength conductors. Scripta Materiala, 2007, 57, pp.245-248. ⟨10.1016/j.scriptamat.2007.04.001⟩. ⟨hal-01913655⟩