The recovery of tensile properties of CuCrZr alloy after hot isostatic pressing

The effects of hot isostatic pressing on the tensile and thermal properties of precipitation hardened CuCrZr-alloy and their possible recovery by a su bsequent aging treatment have been investigated. For this purpose, hot isos tatic pressing was simulated by solution annealing treatments finished with cooling rates between 0.03 and 1.5 K s(-1). The experiments revealed that a successful recovery of the desired tensile strength is achievable only if hot isostatic pressing is finished with a cooling rate of at least 1 K s(- 1). In combination of scanning and transmission electron microscopy the rea son was found in the changes of a bimodal precipitation distribution on a m icroscopic (less than or equal to 100 nm) and mesoscopic (1-10 mum) length scale. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.