HEAT TREATMENT EFFECT ON THE CREEP OF INDUSTRIAL COPPER WIRE

Creep behavior of copper wire, produced by a wire drawing process, has been investigated by creep tests at 340 degrees C under the stress 98,108 and 118 MPa. In this investigation, three samples have been tested: copper drawn wire non heat treated, and heat treated at 600 degrees C and 700 degrees C. Microstructure after the creep test was observed by optical microscopy to understand the rupture mechanism. We have found that the sample heat treated at 600 degrees C had a longer creep life. We have also deduced that the dislocation creep was the creep deformation mechanism of the drawn copper. SEM observations of fractured surfaces after creep tests of drawn copper wire non heat treated and treated 10 min at 600 degrees C under stress of 118 MPa.