Tensile properties and microstructures of Cu-1.5Ni-0.3Si-0.03P -0.05Mg alloy have been investigated by means of tensile tests and X-ray diffraction.
An anisotropy in tensile properties was observed in cold rolled sheets of the alloy. Tensile strength in the 45˚ direction was lower than those of rolling and transverse directions, while the reverse was true in tensile elongation. The deformation texture, responsible for the tensile anisotropy, was found to be the transition texture of brass and copper type, which were $\{110\}<112>$ and $\{123\}<412>$ by X-ray pole figures. To relate the tensile anisotropy with preferred orientation, an analysis was made on the basis of an assumption that the yield and tensile strength are inversely proportional to an arithmetical average of Schmid factors for all slip systems. For cold rolled sheets, directionality of tensile strength was qualitatively in agreement with the results analyzed by this method.
The application of Tensile Levelling Treamtment on the cold rolled sheets, which was intended to reduce residual strain, resulted in an increase in tensile elongation coupled with a slight decrease in tensile strength. The dislocation density, measured by X-ray line broadening, decreased with Tensile Levelling Treatment. The dislocation densities of cold rolled and Tensile Levelled specimens were $2.74\times 10^{11}/cm^2$ and $1.2\times 10^{11}/cm^2$, respectively.