Materials Chemistry and Physics, Vol.63, No.1, 82-87, 2000
Microhardness of bulk and higher density nanocrystalline copper obtained by hot compaction
Nanocrystalline copper (Cu) samples with relatively higher density (>98.5%) and smaller grain size (20-50 nm), have been prepared by gas-condensation technique with subsequent in-situ hot compaction using a novel consolidation device, it is found that Vickers microhardness of all as-synthesized nanocrystalline copper samples compacted under the different pressure (1.0-3.5 GPa) at 423 K (0.315T(m)) are greater than those of coarse grained Cu (50 mu m). No significant grain growth is observed. However, the hardness appears to increase with increasing grain size ranging from 20 +/- 0.12 nm to 23.8 +/- 0.12 nIn, in contrast, the normal Hall-Fetch relation between 70 +/- 0.15 nm and 50 +/- 0.15 nm under the same density are indicated. This complicated result is attributed to higher density, smaller grain size and internal microstrains of samples.