Influence of strain rate on the mechanical response of nanostructured coppers elaborated by SPD and SPS

The influence of strain rate on the mechanical response of two different nanostructured pure coppers was investigated under uniaxial compression. The first nanostructured copper was elaborated by powder metallurgy using the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) process. The second nanostructured copper was elaborated by Severe Plastic Deformation (SPD). Conventional characterizations were conducted with quasi-static compression and tensile tests, hardness tests and, with microstructure analysis. The effect of strain rate was evaluated under uniaxial compression at strain rates varying from 10^-4 to 10⁺⁴ s^-1. The high strain rate data were generated with a direct Hopkinson impact technique. The increase of strength with strain rates was analysed and discussed from the Scanning Electron Microscope observations and grain size distribution. The mechanical properties are consequently dependent on the metallurgical history of these samples prepared according to two different routes.