Technical Papers and Discussions - Copper and Copper-rich Alloys - The Alpha Solid Solution Area of the Copper-manganese-aluminum System

The general program of the Federal Bureau of Mines on the study of alloys made with electrolytic manganese has been extended to copper-manganese-aluminum alloys. The initial results of the work are presented in this report and concern a determination of the mutual solubilities of these three metals to form the alpha solid solution. The principal studies of this system, reported in the literature, have been focused on the Heusler alloys containing ro to 30 per cent Mn with 9 to 15 per cent Al. These investigations concern the ferromagnetic properties and the determination of the crystallization contours, with little emphasis on the phases present in the solid state outside of this area. Heuslerl recognized a breakdown of the beta solid solution of the magnetic alloy, which he says decomposes into the alpha, beta, and gamma phases of the copper-aluminum system, somewhat modified by the presence of manganese. Rosenhain and Lantsberry2 examined alloys ranging up to 10 per cent Mn and 10 per cent A1 but were unable to reach definite conclusions concerning the phase boundaries in that area. Krings and Ostmann3 made magnetic studies and examined the system by thermal analysis. They present contours of the liquidus surface but do not place any of the phase boundaries. Corson4 has drawn a hypothetical boundary for the alpha field with few, data to support such construction. The binary systems involved have rcceived considerable attention by numerous investigators, and their general features are well established. The copper-ahminum system (Fig. I) has been thoroughly examined by Stockdale,5 who places the limit of solubility of aluminum in copper at 7.4 per cent at the liquidus and 9.5 per cent at room temperature. Smith6 established the eutectoid temperature at 570°C. by a study of isothermal decomposition of the beta phase. The copper-manganese system (Fig' ') has been recently reviewed by Dean and CO-WorkersS.7 Using high-purity alloys,