Effect of temperature on low cycle fatigue behavior of annealed Cu-Cr-Zr-Ti alloy in argon atmosphere

Isothermal low cycle fatigue (LCF) properties of Cu-Cr-Zr-Ti alloy were evaluated at different temperatures (300 °C, 450 °C and 600 °C) in high purity argon atmosphere. The cyclic stress response (CSR) was highly dependent on the test temperature. CSR at 300 °C showed primary hardening and secondary hardening at lower strain amplitudes from 0.25% to 0.8% and primary hardening followed by continuous softening at 1.2% strain amplitude. At 450 °C, the alloy exhibited a higher degree of primary hardening followed by saturation of stress. Transmission electron microscopic observations made on the samples tested upto different number of cycles indicate that precipitation of fine Cr precipitates was the main reason for the secondary hardening at 300 °C and extensive primary hardening at 450 °C. Even though precipitation was assisted by mechanical working during cycling, it is observed that the secondary hardening occurred almost at the same time irrespective of the strain amplitude used in the tests. At 450 °C and higher strain amplitudes, precipitates nucleated at the dislocations within a few initial cycles causing pinning of the dislocations thereby increasing the stress response. CSR at 600 °C showed continuous softening without any hardening. It is found that the precipitates nucleated during heating and soaking at the test temperature itself before the start of the strain cycling and coarsening of precipitates as well as loss of coherency with the matrix caused continuous softening at 600 °C. With an increase in test temperature, a reduction in fatigue life is observed and the life reduction is significant at higher strain amplitudes. Microstructural observations and fractographic studies indicated that cracks initiated predominantly at surface and propagated inward. Intergranular cracking was observed at higher strain amplitudes at all temperatures.