Microstructure and Room Temperature Compressive Deformation Behavior of Cold-Sprayed High-Strength Cu Bulk Material

This study investigated the room temperature compressive deformation behavior of Cu bulk material manufactured by cold spray process. Initial microstructural observation identified a unique microstructure with grain size of hundreds of nm in the particle interface area and relatively coarse grains in all other areas. Room temperature compressive results confirmed cold-sprayed Cu to have a yield strength of 340 MPa, which is similar to materials manufactured by severe plastic deformation process such as equal channel angular press. In addition, strain softening phenomenon, which is rarely found in room temperature compressive deformation, was observed. According to such unique characteristics, continuous microstructure evolution and surface fractures according to the strain (et = 0.3/0.6/0.9) of the material were observed, and considerations were made for deformation and fracture behavior. Microstructural observation after compressive deformation confirmed that average grain size decreased as the strain increased, and the fraction of the low-angle boundary, which has an indirect relationship with dislocation density, showed a tendency to decrease in et = 0.30.6 region where the strain softening phenomenon occurs. Based on the results described above, this study was able to identify the possibility of manufacturing cold-sprayed Cu bulk material for structural material and its room temperature deformation behavior.