Abstract
Effect of zirconium upon the thermal conductivity of copper-zirconium alloys was studied in the temperature range of 323-873 K. Thermal diffusivity of Cu-Zr alloys containing 0.1, 0.9, and 3.6 at. % zirconium was measured by Nd glass laser flash method. Specific heat of these alloys was measured in differential scanning calorimeter. Thermal conductivity of Cu - 0.1 at. % alloy decreases with temperature, whereas alloys with higher zirconium concentrations have a positive dependence of thermal conductivity on temperature. Thermal conductivity decreases very strongly with zirconium concentration, nevertheless, its decrease is ten times smaller than that in Cu-Ti alloys with titanium concentration. This fact supports the intent of using zirconium as a bonding layer in copper-carbon fibre composites.

Key words
copper, zirconium, thermal conductivity, laser flash method

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