Brazing, Laser, and Electron-Beam Welding of Additively Manufactured GRCop-84 Copper for Phased Array Lower Hybrid Launchers

Abstract

Recent advances in selective laser melting 3-D printing technology allow additive manufacturing of lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) RF launchers from a new material, Glenn Research Copper 84 (GRCop-84), a Cr <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Nb (8 at. % Cr, 4 at. % Nb) precipitation hardened alloy, in configurations unachievable by conventional machining. Cr <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Nb crystals pin grain boundaries within the copper matrix resulting in high tensile strength and resistance to annealing at elevated temperatures. Brazing, laser, and electron-beam welding (EBW) techniques are explored for joining a thin-walled GRCop-84 waveguide with zero porosity and minimal internal surface roughness. GRCop-84 wets well with the silver solder, CuSil, and Cusil-ABA brazes, once the durable surface oxide is mechanically removed. GRCop-84 melt pool size and flow during EBW is reduced compared to oxygen-free copper (OFC). Pulsed laser and e-beam welding maintains the Cr <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> Nb precipitate size; precipitate coarsening occurs in conduction mode e-beam welding.