An overview of microstructure regulation treatment of Cu-Fe alloys to improve strength, conductivity, and electromagnetic shielding

Pure copper has excellent conductivity but low strength, which greatly limits its application in many fields. In recent years, developing high-strength and high-conductivity (HSHC) copper alloys has been gaining increasing traction. Copper-iron (Cu-Fe) alloys hold great application potential in power, electronics, communications, railway transportation and other industries due to their cost-effectiveness and comprehensive plasticity. In this review, we begin with a brief analysis of two primary factors that limit the development of HSHC Cu-Fe alloys. We then summarize the major results on how to enhance the strength, conductivity, and electromagnetic shielding performance of Cu-Fe alloys by improving the forming processes and adjusting the microstructure evolution and highlight the underlying strengthening mechanisms. We close by providing new insights into the application prospect and future research directions of Cu-Fe alloys with both high strength and conductivity.