Authors:
Adrian Barbosa (Ceit-BRTA, Spain)
Stefano Felicioni (Politecnico di Torino, Italy)
Miren Aristizabal (Ceit-BRTA, Spain)
Ernesto Urionabarrenetxea (Ceit-BRTA, Spain)
Lorena Lozada (Ceit-BRTA, Spain)
Andres Sierra (Ceit-BRTA, Spain)
Federica Bondioli (Politecnico di Torino, Italy)
Angela Veiga (Ceit-BRTA, Spain)
Nerea Ordas (Ceit-BRTA, Spain)
Abstract:
GRCop42 is a precipitation strengthened copper alloy with composition Cu-4at%Cr-2at%Nb developed for high temperature applications requiring high thermal transfer, like rocket engines. GRCop powder was obtained by gas atomization at Ceit. GRCop42 parts were fabricated by powder bed fusion laser beam (PBF-LB) and subjected to different heat treatments to achieve the best trade-off between high thermal conductivity and high strength. The microstructure of the as-built and heat treated materials were characterized by SEM and TEM. Dense samples free of defects like pores or coarse Nb-rich islands were obtained in the as-built condition. Subsequent ageing heat treatments at temperatures ranging from 400 to 600 °C precipitated ultra fine Cr2Nb particles, responsible for a significant hardness increase, from 164 up to 260 HV. The effectiveness of the ageing heat treatments in precipitating all Cr and Nb in solid solution in the Cu matrix was evaluated through X-ray diffraction and thermal conductivity measurements.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59499/EP256779205
