doi:10.1016/j.physme.2009.03.012 Quasidynamic compaction of a mesostructural material with inclusions reinforced by nanocrystalline particles M.P. Bondar*, M.A. Korchagin 1 , E.S. Obodovskii, S.V. Panin 2 and Ya.L. Lukyanov Lavrentyev Institute of Hydrodynamics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia 1 Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry SB RAS, 630128, Novosibirsk, Russia 2 Institute of Strength Physics and Materials Science SB RAS, Tomsk, 634021, Russia A quasidynamic compaction technique is used to produce a mesostructural composite that represents the matrix framework from the base material filled with inclusions. The size of the latter is comparable with the matrix grain size. The mesostructural composite base is the powder of electrolytic copper or internally oxidized copper subjected to mechanical alloying with a nanocomposite. The latter is a mixture of 60 % of copper and 40 % of nanosized TiB 2 particles. Due to high deformations the material exhibits the microstructure self- organization and the constant size of reinforcing TiB 2 particles in the inclusions. Mechanical properties of the mesostructural composite exceed considerably those of the composite matrix. Mechanical properties of alloys from the internally oxidized copper matrix and 69 vol. % of TiB 2 nanoparticles are close to properties of copper-based alloys with 18 vol. % of TiB 2 nanoparticles. The electrical resistance of the mesostructural composite with the internally oxidized copper matrix (69 vol. % of TiB 2 nanoparticles) is 24 % higher than that of internally oxidized copper and the electrical resistance of the copper-based alloy (18 vol. % of TiB 2 nanoparticles) is 8 % higher. Keywords: quasidynamic compaction, microstructure, mesocomposite, nanocomposite Copyright © 2009 ISPMS, Siberian Branch of the RAS. Published by Elsevier BV. All rights reserved. * Corresponding author Prof. Mariya P. Bondar, e-mail: bond@hydro.nsc.ru 1. Introduction The principles of physical mesomechanics [1] can be effectively used for designing heterogeneous materials with high mechanical characteristics (hardness, strength, wear and heat resistance). When designing heterogeneous mate- rials and studying their properties much attention is paid to internal interfaces. Development of materials with high wear resistance ope- rating under high temperatures and stresses are of particular importance. Particle reinforced alloys well fit these require- ments. Such alloys show the noticeable effect of reinfor- cement due to the presence of a thin precipitated disperse phase. Heat resistance of particle reinforced alloys depends on stability of the reinforcing phase. Alloys reinforced by oxide or boride particles are most structurally stable. Reinforcing particles act as barries for the dislocation motion, which induces the shear stress increase. According to Orowans theory, the yield stress can be represented as s 1 , WW W where s W is the yield stress of the matrix and 1 W is the additional stress necessary for dislocation bending around obstacles. Orowans theory developed by Fisher, Hart, Pry [2] and Ashby [3] takes into account the matrix reinforcement: 12 s m 0.24 ( ) , / > B= @ W where m / is the matrix shear modulus,  f  is the volume fraction of precipi- tates, a is the shear deformation along the primary slip system, d is the particle diameter and b is the absolute value of the Burgers vector. Evidently at a given volume fraction of the reinforcing phase the property variation of alloys is mainly related to a dispersion degree of precipitates deter- mining the average interparticle distance. Internally oxidized copper alloys have been earlier stu- died in papers [4, 5]. They show advantages of these alloys as compared to ordinary copper alloys. However, production of these materials meets the constraint on the strength in- crease depending on the volume fraction of constant-size particles. This is governed by the kinetics of internal oxida- tion. An increase in the oxidizing element content above a certain value leads to coarsening of precipitate particles and consequently to the yield stress decrease. M.P. Bondar, M.A. Korchagin, E.S. Obodovskii et al./ Physical Mesomechanics 12 12 (2009) 94`100 94