Continuous casting technology of single crystal copper rod

Single crystal copper rod, 8 mm in diameter, was successfully produced using self-designed horizontal continuous casting equipment. Experimental results showed that the single crystal copper rod with mirror-like surface can be obtained on condition that the temperature of the mould was 1373 similar to 1473 K and the casting speed was 20 similar to 30 mm/min. The crystallization orientation was [100] and the crystallization face was (200). The mixed crystals (equiaxed and columnar grains) on the rod surface were formed when the mould temperature was lower than the melting temperature( T-m < 1356 K) in the solidification front and the traction rate increased. Compared with those of unidirectionally solidified polycrystal copper rods, the tensile strength and the yield strength of the single crystal rod decreased by 8.82% and 91.62%, respectively, while the elongation and the reduction of cross-section area increased by 24.98% and 3.09%, respectively.