Thermophysical and electrical properties of equiatomic CuZr alloy

Differential scanning calorimetry, laser flash technique, dilatometry, and a method based on a rotating magnetic field were used to study for the first time thermophysical and electrical properties of the Cu50Zr50 equiatomic alloy in the quenched state and after annealing at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 1100 K. The thermal conductivity coefficient was calculated using the results of heat capacity, thermal diffusivity, and density measurements. The sequence and temperatures of structural transformations in the quenched Cu50Zr50 alloy were determined during alloy heating. The electron component of thermal conductivity was estimated using the Wiedemann–Franz–Lorentz law. This law was found to be satisfied well for the quenched sample at temperatures above 600 K and for the annealed sample at temperatures beginning from 900 K. As the temperature decreases, the lattice contribution increases. This fact indicates the marked effect of strong chemical interaction between copper and zirconium on the heat- and electrotransport processes.