Fatigue properties of ultra-fine grain Cu–Cr alloy processed by equal-channel angular pressing

Highlights: ► The UFG Cu–Cr alloys processed by ECAP possess high strength and sufficient ductility. ► The ECAPed sample with UFG under strain controlled fatigue exhibited cyclic softening and lower fatigue limit compared to the unECAPed one. ► That cyclic softening of UFG Cu–Cr alloy is associated with some dislocation annihilation and the substructure recovery. ► Shear bands, microcracks and final fracture of UFG Cu–Cr fatigue samples occur predominantly along the shear plane corresponding to the last ECAP. - Abstract: A precipitation-hardening copper based alloy (Cu–0.6 wt.% Cr) was selected and the ultra-fine grain (UFG) microstructure was obtained by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP). The alloys tensile behaviors and fatigue properties were investigated experimentally, the results indicated that the Cu–Cr alloy processed by ECAP possessed high strength and sufficient ductility and the 12-passes ECAPed sample with UFG under strain controlled fatigue exhibited cyclic softening and lower fatigue limit compared to the unECAPed one. Moreover, the shear bands on the surface of cycled samples were also studied by scanning electron microscopy, the results showed that the oriented distribution of defects along the shear plane in the last ECAP processing was one of the major mechanisms of SBs formation.