The 9th International Conference on Matter and Radiation at Extremes (ICMRE2026) ( ICMRE2026)

Due to the excellent mechanical properties and electrical conductivity , CuCrZr is a commonly used electromagnetic rail material. This study investigates the mechanical properties and damage evolution mechanisms of CuCrZr alloy as an electromagnetic rail material under complex electromagnetic-thermal-mechanical multi field conditions. Based on the high-current magnetic driven devices CQ-4 and CQ-4R, a series of stress-controlled multiple loading experiments were designed, and recovered samples with loading cycles of 100, 200, and 300 were obtained. The microstructures of the recovered samples were characterized with electron backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. By comparing the variation  of free surface velocity history curves and the microstructural characteristics of the samples under different loading cycles, deformation and damage evolution mechanisms in CuCrZr alloy during multiple loads under electromagnetic-thermal-mechanical multi-field coupling were revealed. The study indicates that as the number of loading cycles increases, damage continuously accumulates in the CuCrZr alloy, and the defect density rises, leading to the decrease wave impedance in the material. After multiple loadings, voids appeared in the samples and the crystal orientation changed. The current carrying surface and the free surface showed different degrees of grain refinement and local deformation. Combined with the hardness test results, it is considered that the change in CuCrZr alloy stems from the action of the current. This study further understood the mechanical properties of CuCrZr alloy under complex loading conditions, providing a theoretical basis for further guiding its application.
 

CuCrZr alloy,Multiple loads,Microstructure Evolution,Multi-field coupling