An eco-friendly electric pulse treatment process for improving the microstructure and properties of cold-rolled pure copper sheet

In this study, we performed electric pulse treatment (EPT) on the cold-rolled pure copper sheets. And the effects of the current density of EPT on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the cold-rolled pure copper sheets were investigated. It has been found that the change in the current density of EPT has a remarkable influence on the surface temperature, microstructure, strength, plasticity and microhardness of the samples. Compared with the untreated sample, the elongation after fracture increased by about 3.2 times at a current density of 200 A mm ^−2 , whereas the ultimate tensile strength decreased by only 38.0%. Microstructures indicate that the electric pulse can induce rapid recrystallization in cold-rolled pure copper sheets within a short time, while reducing the dislocation density, weakening the rolling textures and increasing microstructure uniformity, thereby improving the plasticity of the material. Therefore, the present research has the potential to provide an effective alternative way to the traditional heat treatment of copper sheets and strips.