Issue Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. Volume 45, Number 3, March 2009 Article Number 30501 Number of page(s) 8 Section Surfaces, Interfaces and Films DOI 10.1051/epjap/2009016 Published online 17 February 2009

Eur. Phys. J. Appl. Phys. 45, 30501 (2009)
DOI: 10.1051/epjap/2009016

Microhardness variation and related microstructure in Al–Cu alloys prepared by HF induction melting and RF sputtering

N. Boukhris, S. Lallouche, M.Y. Debili and M. Draissia

LM2S, Physics department, Faculty of Science, Badji-Mokhtar-Annaba University, 23200 Annaba, Algeria

mydebili@yahoo.fr

Received: 9 April 2008 / Received in final form: 18 December 2008 / Accepted: 14 January 2009 / Published online: 17 February 2009

Abstract
The materials under consideration are binary aluminium-copper alloys (10 at% to 90.3 at%Cu) produced by HF melting and RF magnetron sputtering. The resulting micro structures have been observed by standard metallographic techniques, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Vickers microhardness of bulk Al–Cu alloys reaches a maximum of 1800 MPa at 70.16 at%Cu. An unexpected metastable phase has been observed within aluminium grain in Al-37 at%Cu. The mechanical properties of a family of homogeneous Al_1-xCu_x (0 < x < 0.92) thin films made by radiofrequency (13.56 MHz) cathodic magnetron sputtering from composite Al–Cu targets have been investigated. The as-deposited microstructures for all film compositions consisted of a mixture of the two expected face-centred-cubic (fcc) Al solid solution and tetragonal  (Al₂Cu) phases. The microhardness regularly increases and the grain size decreases both with copper concentration. This phenomenon of significant mechanical strengthening of aluminium by means of copper is essentially due to a combination between solid solution effects and grain size refinement. This paper reports some structural features of different Al–Cu alloys prepared by HF melting and RF magnetron on glass substrate sputtering.

PACS
61.05.-a - Techniques for structure determination.
61.46.Hk - Nanocrystals.
61.66.Dk - Alloys.
61.82.Rx - Nanocrystalline materials.

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