Abstract
Bronzes exhibit a combination of high heat conductivity and excellent mechanical strength. They have many important commercial industrial applications. Isothermal tensile creep curves of Cu–2
wt% Sn were obtained in the solid solution region at temperatures 573, 623, 673 and 723
K under constant stresses ranging from 64 to 111
MPa. The values of the transient creep parameters
β and
n showed dependence on the deformation temperatures,
T, and the applied stress,
σ.
β increased with both
T and
σ while
n decreased.
n is expected to be independent on the temperature at a stress of 208.3
MPa.
The dependence of the steady-state creep rate,
ε
̇
, on the grain diameter,
d, satisfies a petch type equation
ε
̇
=
ε
̇
o
+bd
.
ε
̇
increases with both
σ and
T for any grain diameter. The stress exponent,
m, is independent on
d but relates to the deformation temperature,
T, by the empirical formula
m=0.655+45×10
−4
T. the activation energy of the steady-state creep,
Q, decreases with increasing the grain diameter. For any grain diameter,
Q is slightly affected by the applied stress. The straight line obtained by the best fitting for the relation between
Q and 1/
d, has an intercept of 64.9
kJ/mol. This value may correspond to the activation energy of the dislocation climb mechanism in a single crystal of Cu–2
wt% Sn alloy.