Effects of fabrication parameters and post-processing treatments on the mechanical and tribological behavior of surface-enhanced copper based materials by selective laser melting

Abstract

Selective laser melting (SLM), which is an advanced manufacturing method developed in recent years, produces parts with complex shapes and critical dimensions using metallic powder and laser beam. In this study, copper based conductive materials with silver networks were fabricated by electroless silver coating and SLM. The effects of laser power, scanning speed, hatch spacing, build orientation and post treatments on the mechanical and tribological properties of SLM compacts manufactured from core-shell particles were investigated. After the mechanical tests, higher stress and elongation values were obtained in the sample positioned horizontally on the build platform with a laser power of 100 W, scanning speed of 250 mm/s and hatch spacing value of 45%. After that SLM process, the post-processes were applied to the samples and the physical and mechanical properties improved significantly. The highest density value was obtained by the rolling process at 900 °C, and an increase of approximately 35.6% was obtained compared to the sample without post-processing. The lowest wear rate among all samples was obtained in the hot-pressing process at 750 °C. • Silver coating of copper particles by electroless silver plating method. • Production of copper-based compacts by SLM using core-shell particles. • Investigation of critical SLM parameters on the properties of SLMed parts. • Investigate the effect of post treatments on SLMed parts. • Obtaining the improved properties by electroless coating, SLM, post treatments.