Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Cu–Al Alloy Deposited by Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

In this work, Cu-4.9% Al alloy with little Si (the weight percentage is 1.3%) and little Mn (the weight percentage is 0.8%) was deposited by wire arc additive manufacturing. Microstructure and properties of the deposited alloy was investigated. Microstructural characterization was done using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Microstructural investigation revealed that aluminum was enriched at the interlayer (i.e. inside the deposited layers), whereas silicon and manganese were found enriched at the border layers (i.e. at the border of the deposited layers). Evaluation of the mechanical properties showed that the deposited sample had good strength and ductility. The addition of silicon effectively improved the hardness and tensile strength properties of the deposited alloy.