Craft · 6 pages · 12 min
How copper work-hardens
Hammering or bending copper tangles defects in the crystals until the soft metal turns springy.
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From the opening
Copper work-hardens because bending, hammering, or drawing multiplies defects in its crystals until those defects block further slip. Metal that was soft when annealed becomes harder and more springy after it has been cold-worked. The opening covers dislocations tangle and block slip, cold work makes copper springy, and further blows can open a crack.
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Inside
- Dislocations tangle and block slip
- Cold work makes copper springy
- Further blows can open a crack
- A quench is not this hardness
- Where the idea stops applying
- A distinction worth keeping
Sources
- Dislocation hardening in cold-worked copper
- Loss of ductility after plastic strain