Manufacturing of Cu-Ni-Sn Alloy by Using Selective Laser Melting and Its Microstructure, Room- and High Temperature Mechanical and Thermophysical Properties

This study manufactured Cu-Ni-Sn alloy using the selective laser melting process and investigated the microstructure and room- and high temperature mechanical and thermophysical properties of the material. The effect of post heat treatment on the microstructural evolution and macroscopic properties was also examined. Initial microstructure observation confirmed that as-fabricated specimen was composed of Cu, Cu₆Sn₅, Cu₃P, and undissolved Ni and heat-treated specimen was made up of Cu-Ni solid solution, (Cu, Ni)₃Sn, and (Cu, Ni)₃P. As a result of room- and high temperature (25°C, 200°C, 300°C, 400°C, 500°C) compression tests, heat-treated specimen represented higher strength properties in available temperature range (25°C ~ 300°C) compared to those of as-fabricated specimen. The deformation behavior of the material was also identified based on the fractography observation results. It was also found that post heat treatment could improve the thermal conductivity of the SLMed Cu-Ni-Sn alloy. It could be due to the decrease of defect and the increase of mass density by microstructure evolution during heat treatment. This study also discussed the possibility and application area of Cu-Ni-Sn alloy manufactured with SLM.