Transient and steady-state creep characteristics of Cu–2 wt% Sn alloy in the solid solution region

Abstract Bronzes exhibit a combination of high heat conductivity and excellent mechanical strength. They have many important commercial industrial applications. Isothermal tensile creep curves of Cu–2 wt% Sn were obtained in the solid solution region at temperatures 573, 623, 673 and 723 K under constant stresses ranging from 64 to 111 MPa. The values of the transient creep parameters β and n showed dependence on the deformation temperatures, T , and the applied stress, σ . β increased with both T and σ while n decreased. n is expected to be independent on the temperature at a stress of 208.3 MPa. The dependence of the steady-state creep rate, e , on the grain diameter, d , satisfies a petch type equation e = e o +bd . e increases with both σ and T for any grain diameter. The stress exponent, m , is independent on d but relates to the deformation temperature, T , by the empirical formula m =0.655+45×10 −4  T. the activation energy of the steady-state creep, Q , decreases with increasing the grain diameter. For any grain diameter, Q is slightly affected by the applied stress. The straight line obtained by the best fitting for the relation between Q and 1/ d , has an intercept of 64.9 kJ/mol. This value may correspond to the activation energy of the dislocation climb mechanism in a single crystal of Cu–2 wt% Sn alloy.