Enhancing performance of the CuCrZrTiV alloys through increasing recrystallization resistance and two-step thermomechanical treatments

• Novel CuCrZrTiV alloys are fabricated and characterized. • Recrystallization resistance of the alloys is highly improved by adding Ti and V. • Corrosion resistance of the novel alloys is much higher than IG-CuCrZr alloys. • Strength and ductility of the alloys are both improved after two-step treatments. Cu-0.75Cr-0.1Zr-0.3Ti-0.1V (wt.%) alloys were fabricated by vacuum induction melting, and the effects of joint Ti and V addition on the recrystallization behavior, mechanical property and corrosion resistance of the alloys were investigated. Compared with International Thermonuclear Energy Reactor (ITER) grade CuCrZr (IG-CuCrZr) alloys, the recrystallization resistance of the CuCrZrTiV alloys is highly improved by the addition of Ti and V. The outstanding recrystallization resistance of the CuCrZrTiV alloys is attributed to the reduced stacking-fault energy and the presence of high-density coherent precipitates. The corrosion resistance of the CuCrZrTiV alloys is much higher than the IG-CuCrZr alloys. Two-step thermomechanical treatments are applied to further improve the performance of the CuCrZrTiV alloys, and the tensile strength and ductility of the alloys are improved simultaneously. Enhancement of the strength is ascribed to high-density precipitates, dislocations and subgrains in the CuCrZrTiV alloys after two-step thermomechanical treatments. The texture changes from {112}<110> α texture to {110}<112> brass texture after two-step thermomechanical treatments, and deformation twins form during the development of the brass texture, which improves the ductility of the alloys. This work provides an effective way to improve the performance of the CuCrZrTiV alloys by increasing recrystallization resistance and two-step thermomechanical treatments.