Hot-Forged Copper Powder Compacts

The effects of powder size, preform density, sintering treatment, preheat temperature, ..forging rate, and forging load on the properties and structure of hotforged copper compacts have been investigated. The most important effect is produced by the die temperature, irrespective of the preheat temperature, because of the chilling of the Cu preform before hot forging. Sintering time and powder size have smaller effects. Major variations which arise in the occurrence and extent of recrystallization during hot· forging are accompanied by changes in the rate of densification. The variation in mechanical properties is discussed in terms of the structural observations.