Copper base alloys made using rapidly solidified powders and method

Fine grained Copper-Nickel alloys containing borides in bulk form having composition Cu.sub.a Ni.sub.b Al.sub.c Cr.sub.d M.sub.e B.sub.f, wherein Cu, Ni, Al, Cr, and B are copper, nickel, aluminum, chromium and boron respectively, and M represents one or more of iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), vanadium (V), and manganese Mn) and wherein a, b, c, d, e and f represent weight percent of Cu, Ni, Al, Cr, M and B respectively and having the following values:

• a=40-87, b=10.5-44, c=0-10, d=0-18, e=0-8, f=1.5-4 wherein the maximum value of b+c+d+e may not exceed 56, the maximum value of c+d may not exceed 22.5 and the sum of a+b+c+d+e+f=100, made by subjecting the powders of the said alloy by application of pressure and heat, said powders being made by the method comprising the following steps:
• (a) forming a melt of said alloy
• (b) depositing said melt against a rapidly moving quench surface adapted to quench said melt at a rate in the range of approximately 10.sup.5 to 10.sup.7 .degree. C./second and form thereby a rapidly solidified brittle strip of said alloys characterized by predominantly a single solid solution structure,
• (c) comminuting said strip into powders.