TECHNICAL PAPER Effect of ARB Cycle Number and Second Phase Content on Mechanical properties and Microstructure of Pb–Ag Composite Maryam Karbasi 1 • Eskandar Keshavarz Alamdari 2 • Elaheh Amirkhani Dehkordi 1 Received: 12 December 2016 / Accepted: 12 January 2018 / Published online: 22 February 2018 Ó The Indian Institute of Metals - IIM 2018 Abstract A solid state method has been found for manu- facturing of lead–silver composites for use as anodes in electrowinning production. Mechanical properties and microstructure of composite were characterized via peel- ing, tensile and microhardness tests, and scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and frac- tography. Based on the peeling test results, maximum bond strength was achieved in the presence of 0.125 wt% of Ag (1.8 N/mm). Best mechanical properties were achieved in the Pb–0.5 wt% Ag composite after 10 ARB cycles by the enhanced tensile strength rising up to 50%, yield strength up to 170%, shear strength up to 63% and hardness up to 2.6 times higher, and the strain decreasing to 68% lower. These advanced properties led to higher stiffness and considerable enhancements in dimensional stability of the anodes and they improved creep characteristics. The advanced properties of the processed Pb–Ag composite anodes could be introduced as certification for slower anode failure, upkeep, surcharge and capital expenditure of industries with essential lead anode requirement. Keywords Lead–silver Á Composite Á Anode Á Accumulative roll bonding (ARB) 1 Introduction Due to high energy consumption, expensive raw materials, high capital cost, working condition problems, environ- mental pollution and lack of possibility of recycling of used materials in pyro-metallurgical processes; substitutions of hydro-metallurgy have been extended progressively [1]. Electrolysis of aqueous extraction via electrowinning method is universally accepted hydro-metallurgical indus- trial technique for high purity mass production of copper and zinc. In this method, reduced products such as Copper and Zinc are deposited on the surface of Aluminum cath- ode and an oxidation reaction take place on anode. Suitable electrochemical and mechanical properties of anodic metal are fundamental requirements that must be considered for its selection [2]. Sulfuric acid based baths in the presence of Lead (Pb) anodes are generally applied in hydro-metallurgical techniques, especially in zinc and copper electrowinning industries. Although, Pb anodes have been extensively used in sulfuric acid based industrial processes but their utilization is accompanied with several disadvantages. Major operational shortages results from weak mechanical properties of Lead metal. Gradual deformation of lead anodes during operation leads to continuous breakage of anodic surface, fresh lead metal corrosion and increasing anode failure and electrolyte and metallic product contamination. Accordingly, improve- ment of mechanical properties of lead anodes is unavoid- able. Therefore, researchers have added several alloys elements to lead anodes to achieve this improvement. But, invention of homogeneous lead anodes is accompanied by numerous difficulties such as: complicated casting pro- cesses, negligible solubility of most elements in melted lead casting and consequently difficult dispersion of alloy agents in lead base metal have resulted in very low & Maryam Karbasi m_karbasi@cc.iut.ac.ir 1 Department of Materials Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156-83111, Iran 2 Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran 15875-4413, Iran 123 Trans Indian Inst Met (2018) 71(6):1463–1473 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12666-018-1281-4