Cu-based shape memory alloys and bulk-metallic glasses
Third party funded individual grant
Start date : 01.10.2017
Project details
Scientific Abstract
In this project two different but equally exciting material systems are being investigated:
Development of high temperature Cu-Al-Ni-X shape memory alloys (SMAs)
Compared to commercially available Ni-Ti SMAs, Cu-Al-Ni-X SMAs possess a slightly higher transformation temperature above 100 °C and exhibit a lower production cost. However, poor mechanical properties caused by their typically coarse grain size and anisotropy severely limit their worldwide application. Therefore, microalloying is employed to refine the grain size and improve their mechanical properties.
Laser additive manufacturing of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) and bulk metallic glass composites (BMGCs)
BMGs and BMGCs exhibit a unique set of functional and mechanical properties. They are conventionally fabricated via Cu mold-casting, which doesn’t allow the production of large-scale parts or complex geometries. Laser additive manufacturing such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) and laser metal deposition (LMD) offer an exciting new way to manufacture these alloys due to their inherent rapid cooling rate and the ability to print complex parts near net-shape.