A review on copper alloys with high strength and high electrical conductivity

With the rapid development of modern industry, there is an urgent need for copper alloys with high strength and high conductivity (HSHC). Unfortunately, the HSHC of metals are incompatible, and even mutually exclusive because conventional strengthening mechanisms including grain-refinement, solutes, precipitates and deformation routinely enhance the yield strength accompanying with electron scattering effect and conductivity loss. This brief review first analyzes four strengthening principles and their effects on the electrical conductivity of copper and its alloys, then, systematically summarizes various strategies to enhance strength and electrical conductivity. Finally, the recent research progress of some typical HSHC copper alloys is induced. Overall, microstructure regulation, precipitation strengthening, and multiple strengthening are proven methods to increase the performance of HSHC copper alloys. Meanwhile, machine learning has shown strong potential in the design of HSHC copper alloys.