The Mechanism of High Electrical Conductivity in Copper–Chromium Alloy

Cr alloyed Cu exhibits puzzlingly high electrical conductivity compared with other 3d elements alloying. Here, we present a theoretical understanding based on standard electronic band structure calculations. The influence of local spin-polarization on electrical conductivity was first investigated. It is found that the non-magnetic calculation produces a high density of states peak at the Fermi level, and then it fails to explain the high electrical conductivity of Cu-Cr alloy. When spin polarization is taken into account, the density of states is significantly reduced, and the results are in good agreement with experimental measurements. Meanwhile, the calculation results can explain the increase in strength and also lead to some interesting deductions. Finally, a computational program is proposed to select a high electrical conductivity Cu alloy based on a simple calculation model.

Abstract licence: CC BY

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