Recent research on advanced copper alloys: possibilities for Osprey spray deposition?

The last few years have seen a major effort devoted to the exploration of m odified copper based alloys in the search for improvements in properties su ch as strength, conductivity, and stress retention at high temperatures, bu t also for other properties such as machinability and wear resistance. Whil e initial efforts often made use of rapid solidification techniques such as melt spinning or powder atomisation, there has lately been increasing atte ntion given to spray forming as a means of preparing billets. This overview examines the processing and properties of such alloys, looking particularl y at high conductivity alloys such as Cu-Cr-Zr, high strength alloys such a s Cu-Ni-Sn and Cu-Sn, and composites with high conductivity, high strength, and sometimes high temperature resistance such as Cu in situ fibres and Cu oxide and boride dispersoids. For some of these materials, the days of com mercial reality are approaching as sample quantities trickle onto the marke tplace.