Abstract: Method for producing tarnish-resistant and oxidation-resistant sheets, billets, rods, tubes, profiles or wires for tarnish-resistant and oxidation-resistant structural components which tolerate thermal and mechanical stresses, of copper or silver as matrix material exhibiting a high conductivity and a high softening temperature. The method includes preparing a copper or silver melt by adding, to the copper or silver, stoichiometric amounts of boron and zirconium whereby the stoichiometric amounts comprise additions of 0.3 to 0.6 weight percent of zirconium and 0.1 to 0.2 weight percent of boron, resulting in a fine dispersion melt of less than 1 volume percent of ZrB.sub.2 in the copper or silver. Subsequently, the fine dispersion melt is processed into semifinished products using continuous casting units or continuous rolling units.

Abstract: A process for producing a dispersion hardened copper alloy includes admixing to a copper melt from 0.3 to 15 weight % of molybdenum to provide a mixture which is a melt; superheating the mixture to a temperature ranging from about 200.degree. C. to about 1000.degree. C. above the melting point of coper to provide a superheated melt; and subjecting the superheated melt to very rapid solidification at a cooling rate ranging from 104.degree. to 106.degree. C./sec. The above process produces dipsersion hardened copper alloy comprising copper and from 1 to 15 weight % of molybdenum which is present in the dispersion hardened copper alloy as particles having a diameter of less than 0.1 .mu.m embedded in the copper matrix. Such dispersion hardened copper alloys are useful for providing electrical conductors which are subjected to elevated temperatures, such as for providing spot welding electrodes, particularly for welding of zinc-galvanized sheet metal.

Abstract: According to a method of dispersion hardening copper, silver or gold, melts on the basis of the matrix metals with stoichiometric additions of boron and boride-forming metals are superheated by 300.degree. to 750.degree. C. and subsequently subjected to extremely rapid solidification at a rate of at least 10.sup.3 to 10.sup.4 .degree.C. per second. The boride-forming metals used are preferably titanium and/or zirconium. An excess of preferably about 5 to 20% of boride-forming metal over the stoichiometric amount yields particularly favorable products.