Abstract: Through multiple stations and small sample automatic synthesis, a high-throughput alloy preparation experimental system can reduce the preparation time and cost of individual samples and improve the synthesis efficiency of materials. To elucidate the process of the new high-throughput alloy preparation and to investigate the microstructural characteristics of the alloy samples, this study used a self-designed high-throughput automatic arc melting system to prepare CuCrZr small-sample alloys, optimized the process parameters of arc melting, explored the yield rate of alloy elements, and investigated their morphologies. The study found that when the melting current was 200 A, the burn loss of the copper alloy sample was stable, the quality of the ingots was good, and the actual compositions could be deduced from the burn losses of Cr and Zr. The casting microstructures of three typical components of copper alloys (low-Cr-high-Zr, low-Cr-low-Zr, and high-Cr-low-Zr alloys) were selected for analysis. The central area of the alloy ingot was determined to be a coarse columnar crystal, and a thin fine crystal layer was present near the water-cooled area at the bottom of the copper crucible. The precipitates in the as-cast CuCrZr alloy were distributed in interdendritic gaps. The Cr-rich phase was a (Cu+Cr) eutectic phase, and the CuZr-rich phases were Cu₅₁Zr₁₄ and Cu₅Zr, which were consistent with the phase diagram and literature. Performance measurements showed that the addition of alloying elements increased the hardness of the studied alloys but reduced their electron conductivity. This study proves the feasibility and effectiveness of high-throughput small-sample alloy preparation and provides a reference for its extension to conventional sample preparation and industrial production.

Key words: high-throughput experiment, small sample, CuCrZr alloy, electric arc melting process, microstructure