PI: Wojciech Z. Misiolek
Co-PI: Nicholas Rockwell
University: Lehigh University
Industry partner: TE Connectivity
The objective of the proposed collaborative research between Lehigh University and TE Connectivity is to develop innovative surface-alloying techniques to enable high-quality additive manufacturing of highly reflective copper alloys. The proposed research focuses on low-power (≤200W) laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) systems using copper-coated powders at TE Connectivity. Building on recent advances in powder functionalization strategies, this work will systematically investigate the optimization of laser absorption, densification, and multifunctional properties in LPBF-processed highly reflective metals and alloys through controlled surface modifications. Two copper-coated powders will be investigated. One with a proprietary coating will be supplied by JX Advanced Metals Corporation (JX) in Japan, and the second will be a copper powder developed in-house at TE Connectivity. To assess the impact of laser power, a reference batch will also be processed on the Renishaw AM400, a 400W metal3-D printer at Lehigh University, since the JX powder was originally developed for 400W and 500W 3-D printers. Both TE Connectivity and Lehigh University have experience with coated metal powders. The TE Connectivity team will focus on preparing the coated powders and printing samples on a lower-energy metal 3-D printer (Trumpf 1000), while the Lehigh University team will print samples on a higher-energy metal 3-D printer (Renishaw AM400) and perform most of the physical and mechanical evaluations of printed samples. The project aims to establish processing-structure-property relationships that enable low-power LPBF systems to produce components with superior mechanical, electrical, and thermal performance for applications in electronics, heat management, and energy systems.