Dispersion strengthened copper alloys have been produced following an innovative powder metallurgy route. Copper and yttrium acetate powders have been mechanically alloyed and posteriorly thermal treated at 923 K for 3 h and 15 h under a hydrogen atmosphere in order to transform the yttrium acetate into Y₂O₃. Subsequently, the powders were consolidated by hot isostatic pressing. It has been concluded that the duration of the thermal treatment of the powder is a determining factor in the degree of densification of the alloy. The study of the microstructure by Scanning Electron Microscopy and Electron Backscatter Diffraction has revealed the presence of micrometer and submicrometer grains and nanometric Y-O enriched Cu particles embedded in the copper matrix, the mean grain size being smaller for the sample produced from the powder thermal treated for 15 h. Transmission Electron Microscopy investigations concluded that the nanoparticles exhibit a spherical shape with a size up to 25 nm and correspond to monoclinic Y₂O₃. Annealing twins have been also observed, especially in the material produced from thermal treated powder for longer.

The mechanical properties have been inferred from Vickers microhardness measurements and compression tests. Below 473 K the yield strengths of the produced materials are greater than that of pure copper and above 473 K are close to them. From the study of the thermal properties of the densest material it has been found that its thermal conductivity remains nearly constant in the temperature range 300–773 K, and its value is around 85% the thermal conductivity of CuCrZr, the reference material for ITER.

弥散强化铜合金是按照创新的粉末冶金路线生产的。铜和醋酸钇粉末已被机械合金化并在氢气氛下在 923 K 下进行 3 小时和 15 小时的后热处理，以将醋酸钇转化为 Y ₂ O ₃. 随后，粉末通过热等静压固结。已经得出结论，粉末热处理的持续时间是合金致密化程度的决定因素。通过扫描电子显微镜和电子背散射衍射对微观结构的研究表明，存在微米和亚微米晶粒以及嵌入在铜基体中的纳米级 YO 富集 Cu 颗粒，平均晶粒尺寸较小。 15 小时。透射电子显微镜研究得出结论，纳米颗粒呈球形，尺寸高达 25 nm，对应于单斜晶系 Y ₂ O ₃. 还观察到退火孪晶，特别是在由热处理粉末生产的材料中更长时间。

机械性能是从维氏显微硬度测量和压缩测试中推断出来的。低于 473 K，所生产材料的屈服强度大于纯铜，高于 473 K 则接近它们。通过对最致密材料的热性能的研究发现，其热导率在 300-773 K 的温度范围内几乎保持不变，其值约为 ITER 参考材料 CuCrZr 的热导率的 85%。