Effects of microalloying and magnetic annealing on microstructures and properties of magnetic immiscible copper matrix alloys

The magnetic immiscible copper matrix alloys are extensively industrial applications due to their comprehensive properties such as high strength, high conductivity, high thermal conductivity and excellent magnetic permeability. Here, we investigated the effects of the addition of Co and Al elements on the microstructural evolution of magnetic Cu–Fe alloys (CFAs) and comprehensive properties after annealing under the static magnetic field (SMF). The results show that the microalloying was effective in enhancing the mechanical and magnetic properties but negative for the electric conductivity. The addition of Co element significantly suppressed the grains recrystallization of CFAs during the annealing process and improved the thermal stability of CFAs. Al elements homogeneously dispersed in the sample. SMF facilitated the nucleation and precipitation processes of the secondary precipitated particles in the Cu-rich matrix through the introducing the extra magnetic Gibbs free energy and also promoted the structural transformation of the secondary precipitated particles from FCC to BCC. This work indicates that SMF can be effectively used to modify the magnetic materials with exceptional comprehensive properties during the solid state phase transformation process. It also provides valuable guidance for the development of novel materials with superior comprehensive performance.