Cast Cu-10Sn-2Zn-1.5Fe-0.5Co (wt.%) alloy with in-situ nanostructured grains (NG) achieved an enhancement in both the strength and ductility in contrast to virgin Cu–10Sn–2Zn (wt.%) alloy with coarse dendritic grains.
Formation mechanism of NG structure in cast Cu-10Sn-2Zn-1.5Fe-0.5Co (wt.%) alloy is proposed.
The mechanism involves in-situ generation of iron-rich nanoparticles in the melt and the nanoparticle-matrix interactions during solidification interpreted by nanoparticle encapsulation model.
A potential pathway is proposed for fabricating bulk nanostructured alloys with favorable NG structure to realize exciting properties.