Method of manufacturing composite copper material

Abstract

An element such as Cr is caused to dissolve sufficiently in a base-material metal (Cu) in a solid solution state at a high temperature and a material in a supersaturated condition is obtained by performing quenching. After that, a strain is applied to this material and this material is subjected to aging treatment at a low temperature simultaneously with or after the application of this strain. As a result of this, it is possible to obtain a copper alloy having properties desirable as an electrode material, for example, a hardness of not less than 30 HRB, an electrical conductivity of not less than 85 IACS %, and a thermal conductivity of not less than 350 W/(m·K).

1 . A method of manufacturing a composite copper material, comprising the steps of:
 mixing a copper powder and a ceramic powder together to forming a mixed powder as a primary shaped body, and   applying a strain to said primary shaped body to form a secondary shaped body in which base material and ceramic particles are combined together with refined particle sizes,   wherein an average particle size of the ceramic powder is between about 0.3 to 10 μm, the strain applied to the primary shaped body is equivalent to an elongation of not less than 200%, the strain is applied by extruding the primary shaped body that is performed at a material temperature of not less than 400° C. but not more than 1,000° C. and a die temperature of not less than 400° C. but not more than 500° C., wherein an average particle size of a base material of the secondary shaped body to be obtained is not more than 20 μm, and the average particle size of ceramic particles is not more than 500 nm.   
   
   
       2 . The method of manufacturing a composite copper material according to  claim 1 , wherein the primary shaped body is obtained by green compacting or by filling the mixed powder in a tube. 
   
   
       3 . A method of manufacturing a composite copper material in which titanium boride is dispersed in a copper matrix, comprising the steps [1] to [3] of:
 [1] mixing a copper powder, a titanium powder and a boron powder together to form a primary shaped body;   [2] applying thermal energy to the primary shaped body and thereby causing the titanium powder and the boron powder to react with each other in order to form titanium boride in the copper matrix; and   [3] applying a strain to the primary shaped body, in which the titanium boride is formed, by plastically deforming the primary shaped body and thereby forming a secondary shaped body.   
   
   
       4 . The method of manufacturing a composite copper material according to  claim 3 , wherein the secondary shaped body is subjected to heat treatment while applying the strain by plastic deformation or following application of the strain. 
   
   
       5 . The method of manufacturing a composite copper material according to  claim 3 , wherein plastic deformation involves applying a strain equivalent to an elongation of not less than 200%. 
   
   
       6 . The method of manufacturing a composite copper material according to  claim 3 , wherein the plastic deformation is extrusion that is performed at a material temperature of not less than 400° C. but not more than 1000° C. 
   
   
       7 . The method of manufacturing a composite copper material according to  claim 3 , wherein the plastic deformation is extrusion that is performed at a die temperature of not less than 400° C. but not more than 500° C. 
   
   
       8 . The method of manufacturing a composite copper material according to  claim 3 , wherein the primary shaped body is obtained by green compacting or by filling a mixed powder in a tube. 
   
   
       9 . The method of manufacturing a composite copper material according to  claim 3 , wherein an average particle size of the ceramic powder is 0.3 to 10 μm, an average particle size of a base material of the secondary shaped body to be obtained is not more than 20 μm, and an average particle size of titanium boride particles is not more than 500 nm.