PROPERTIES AND APPLICATIONS OF COPPER-NIO BIUM IN-SITU FIBER COMPOSITES

Heavily deformed Copper-Niobium-Composites reveal a very high strength and a good electrical conductivity and are thus highly attractive mat erials for applications in magnet coils, as conducting frames in elect ronic devices and for electrical gadgets in automobiles. In the curren t work recent research results on the microstructure, texture and elec trical properties of the in-situ metal matrix composite Cu-20 %Nb are presented and discussed. The major goal of the present investigations is the correlation of the microstructural changes taking place during cold deformation on the one hand with the resulting macroscopic proper ties on the other hand. On the basis of these conclusion future applic ations of this new class of high-performance materials will be reviewe d.