Some Properties of Aluminum–Copper Mixtures after Plastic Deformation under High Pressures

Al–Cu mixtures of various compositions underwent the plastic deformation under pressures from 0.5 to 4.0 GPa at room temperature on a Bridgman-anvil-type high-pressure apparatus. The influence of treatment pressure on calorimetric properties of Al and Cu powder mixtures of various compositions is studied. The thermal processes in the samples after deformation under pressure were studied with DSC and TGA within 20–800°C, whereas the structure and composition of the samples and its changes during heating were analyzed with the electron-microscopy method coupled with an energy-dispersive X-ray probe. A positron-annihilation method was used to study the atomic-electronic structure of deformed mixtures. The deformed mixtures were tested electrochemically at room temperature in a 6 M KOH solution. The results obtained indicate that the changes in the electronic subsystem of the mixtures can make a significant contribution to the heat release of the samples that underwent plastic deformation under high pressure.