Synergy of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and heat treatment for CuNi2SiCr alloy enhancement

This research explores the thermal and mechanical properties of a CuNi2SiCr alloy made by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) for potential use in the neck insert of extrusion blow molds. Process parameter optimization, aging heat treatment design, thermal and mechanical property characterizations, micro...

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Main Authors: Eskandar Fereiduni, Ali Ghasemi, Noah Sargent, Mohamed Balbaa, Liyi Wang, Mohamed Elbestawi, Swee Leong Sing, Wei Xiong
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Materials & Design
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525006094
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author Eskandar Fereiduni
Ali Ghasemi
Noah Sargent
Mohamed Balbaa
Liyi Wang
Mohamed Elbestawi
Swee Leong Sing
Wei Xiong
author_facet Eskandar Fereiduni
Ali Ghasemi
Noah Sargent
Mohamed Balbaa
Liyi Wang
Mohamed Elbestawi
Swee Leong Sing
Wei Xiong
author_sort Eskandar Fereiduni
collection DOAJ
description This research explores the thermal and mechanical properties of a CuNi2SiCr alloy made by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) for potential use in the neck insert of extrusion blow molds. Process parameter optimization, aging heat treatment design, thermal and mechanical property characterizations, microstructural analysis, and an exploration of the factors affecting thermal conductivity are presented. Results showed that the aging thermal cycle significantly enhanced the thermal conductivity of the as-build sample from ∼ 70 W/mK) to ∼ 180 W/mK. Numerical analysis of the involvement of various scattering phenomena in the overall mean free path of conducting electrons revealed that such a significant increase in thermal conductivity originated from the emergence of nanoscale Ni, Cr, and Si containing precipitates from the supersaturated matrix which depleted the matrix of extrinsic scattering sites accounting for ∼ 80 % of electron scattering in the as-built specimen. The sample subjected to heat treatment showed a 95 % increase in nanohardness and significantly higher yield strength (575 MPa) and ultimate tensile strength (687 MPa) compared to the as-built specimen (236 MPa and 291 MPa, respectively). The improvements obtained in this study in both thermal and mechanical properties showcase the potential of LPBF and subsequent heat treatment in enhancing Cu alloy materials for various industrial applications.
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spelling doaj-art-3aaeeaa3704c40cfb5420bc0487e4e5d2025-08-20T03:22:04ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752025-07-0125511418910.1016/j.matdes.2025.114189Synergy of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and heat treatment for CuNi2SiCr alloy enhancementEskandar Fereiduni0Ali Ghasemi1Noah Sargent2Mohamed Balbaa3Liyi Wang4Mohamed Elbestawi5Swee Leong Sing6Wei Xiong7Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7, Canada; Corresponding authors.Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7, Canada; Corresponding authors.Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USADepartment of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L7, CanadaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore, SingaporeDepartment of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15261, USA; Corresponding authors.This research explores the thermal and mechanical properties of a CuNi2SiCr alloy made by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) for potential use in the neck insert of extrusion blow molds. Process parameter optimization, aging heat treatment design, thermal and mechanical property characterizations, microstructural analysis, and an exploration of the factors affecting thermal conductivity are presented. Results showed that the aging thermal cycle significantly enhanced the thermal conductivity of the as-build sample from ∼ 70 W/mK) to ∼ 180 W/mK. Numerical analysis of the involvement of various scattering phenomena in the overall mean free path of conducting electrons revealed that such a significant increase in thermal conductivity originated from the emergence of nanoscale Ni, Cr, and Si containing precipitates from the supersaturated matrix which depleted the matrix of extrinsic scattering sites accounting for ∼ 80 % of electron scattering in the as-built specimen. The sample subjected to heat treatment showed a 95 % increase in nanohardness and significantly higher yield strength (575 MPa) and ultimate tensile strength (687 MPa) compared to the as-built specimen (236 MPa and 291 MPa, respectively). The improvements obtained in this study in both thermal and mechanical properties showcase the potential of LPBF and subsequent heat treatment in enhancing Cu alloy materials for various industrial applications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525006094Additive manufacturingLPBFCu alloyThermal conductivityStrengthElectron mean free path
spellingShingle Eskandar Fereiduni
Ali Ghasemi
Noah Sargent
Mohamed Balbaa
Liyi Wang
Mohamed Elbestawi
Swee Leong Sing
Wei Xiong
Synergy of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and heat treatment for CuNi2SiCr alloy enhancement
Materials & Design
Additive manufacturing
LPBF
Cu alloy
Thermal conductivity
Strength
Electron mean free path
title Synergy of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and heat treatment for CuNi2SiCr alloy enhancement
title_full Synergy of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and heat treatment for CuNi2SiCr alloy enhancement
title_fullStr Synergy of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and heat treatment for CuNi2SiCr alloy enhancement
title_full_unstemmed Synergy of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and heat treatment for CuNi2SiCr alloy enhancement
title_short Synergy of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and heat treatment for CuNi2SiCr alloy enhancement
title_sort synergy of laser powder bed fusion lpbf and heat treatment for cuni2sicr alloy enhancement
topic Additive manufacturing
LPBF
Cu alloy
Thermal conductivity
Strength
Electron mean free path
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525006094
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