Cu-Ag filamentary microcomposites with different Ag contents were prepared by cold drawing and intermediate heat treatments. The microstructure characterization and filamentary distribution were observed for two-phase alloys under different conditions. The effect of heavy drawing strain on the microstructure evolution of Cu-Ag alloys was investigated. The results show that the microstructure components consist of Cu dendrites, eutectic colonies and secondary Ag precipitates in the alloys containing 6%-24% （mass fraction） Ag. With the increase in Ag content, the eutectic colonies in the microstructure increase and gradually change into a continuous net-like distribution. The Cu dendrites, eutectic colonies and secondary Ag precipitates are elongated in an axial direction and developed into the composite filamentary structure during cold drawing deformation. The eutectic colonies tend to evolve into filamentary bundles. The filamentary diameters decrease with the increase in drawing strain degree for the two-phase alloys, in particular for the alloys with low Ag content. The reduction in filamentary diameters becomes slow once the drawing strain has exceeded a certain level.
Cu-6%Fe（mass fraction） microcomposites containing（0-0.30）% rare earth elements were prepared by cold drawing and intermediate heat treatments.Microstructure was observed, and mechanical properties and electrical conductivity were measured for alloys at various drawing strain levels.Adding rare earth elements could reduce the size of primary Fe and Cu dendrites of Cu-6%Fe.Ultimate tensile strength increased but electrical conductivity decreased with the increase of drawing strain.Rare earth additions in Cu-6%Fe slightly increased the strength at low strain and effectively improved the conductivity at high strain.Both strain hardening rate and conductivity loss of Cu-6%Fe containing rare earths were reduced at lower strain than Cu-6%Fe.
