Zhou Xuan, Ge Hualong, Xiong Kai, He Junjie, Zhang Shunmeng, Fu Li, Tan Zhilong, Wu Xiaofei, Li Xuming, Wu Haijun, Guo Junmei, Mao Yong
Materials Genome Institute, School of Materials and Energy, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650091, China.
State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technologies for Comprehensive Utilization of Platinum Metals, Yunnan Precious Metals Laboratory Co., Ltd, Kunming Institute of Precious Metals, Kunming, 650106, China.
Adv Sci (Weinh). 2025 Feb;12(6):e2410936. doi: 10.1002/advs.202410936. Epub 2024 Dec 16.
Precious metal electrical contact materials are pivotal in microelectronic devices due to their excellent chemical stability and electrical properties. Their practical application is hindered by the strength, contact resistance, and high cost. Multi-principal elements alloys (MPEAs) provide the possibility to develop cost-effective materials with enhanced mechanical properties. To address this, a novel precious metal MPEA, PdAgCuAuPtZn alloy, is designed, which exhibits significant solid solution strengthening and aging strengthening effects. The ultimate tensile strength increases from 747 MPa in the solution state to 1126 MPa in the aged state, while resistivity remains low. This study presents the first systematic investigation into the strengthening mechanisms of precious metal MPEAs using nanoindentation technology. These findings indicate that the aging strengthening of the alloy is attributed to spinodal decomposition (SD) and chemical short-range order (CSRO) in the matrix. Furthermore, the precipitation structure with Cu-rich and Ag-rich phases gradually replaces the matrix, primarily accounting for aging softening. Additionally, it is discovered that precipitation structure can be strengthened by CSRO formed in the Cu-rich phase, thus providing an innovative strengthening in PdAgCuAuPtZn alloy. These results will be beneficial to both deeply understanding the aging behaviors of PdAgCuAuPtZn alloys and designing high-performance precious metal MPEAs.
贵金属电接触材料因其优异的化学稳定性和电学性能而在微电子器件中至关重要。然而,其强度、接触电阻和高成本阻碍了它们的实际应用。多主元合金(MPEAs)为开发具有增强力学性能的低成本材料提供了可能性。为此,设计了一种新型贵金属MPEA——PdAgCuAuPtZn合金,该合金表现出显著的固溶强化和时效强化效果。其极限抗拉强度从固溶态的747MPa提高到时效态的1126MPa,而电阻率仍保持较低水平。本研究首次利用纳米压痕技术对贵金属MPEAs的强化机制进行了系统研究。这些发现表明,合金的时效强化归因于基体中的调幅分解(SD)和化学短程有序(CSRO)。此外,富含铜和银的相的析出结构逐渐取代基体,这是导致时效软化的主要原因。此外,研究发现,富含铜的相中形成的CSRO可以强化析出结构,从而为PdAgCuAuPtZn合金提供一种创新的强化方式。这些结果将有助于深入理解PdAgCuAuPtZn合金的时效行为,并设计高性能的贵金属MPEAs。