Newsblog
SHAPE - the future
Authors: Shimelis Bihon Gasha
Date: 10.10.2024
In an EU cooperation project involving the Professorship of Composites and Material Compounds (PVW) at Chemnitz University of Technology in Germany, Karadeniz Technical University in Turkey, Krakow University of Technology in Poland, and ATMAT Sp. z o.o. in Poland, sustainable high-performance functionally graded composites of particle-reinforced Cu/SiC will be developed and scientifically investigated over the next three years. The project aims to create a new type of electrical composite material with enhanced interfacial bonding, uniform particle distribution, and superior conductivity, while ensuring cost-effectiveness, ease of production, and resistance to wear and erosion for electrical applications.
The Cu-composite powders will be produced from recycled copper powders reinforced with various SiC contents using High-Energy Ball Milling (HEBM). Additionally, composites will be produced similarly using commercial Cu powder to compare the result with the composites made from recycled copper powders. The SiC reinforcements are subjected to an electroless Cu coating prior to HEBM in order to improve the interfacial bonding with the Cu matrix during mechanical alloying. Likewise, the composite powders after HEBM will undergo Cu-coating through electroless plating to improve their properties during subsequent consolidation processes. The resulting composite powders will be consolidated into Cu-based Metal Matrix Composites (MMC) and Functionally Graded Composites (FGCs) using various additive manufacturing techniques and the Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) method available at the facilities of the consortium members.
The kickoff meeting was held digitally on the 5th of June 2024 with consortium partners from the four research institutions.
The project entitled “Sustainable High performance functionally graded composites via. Advanced manufacturing of Particle reinforced Cu/SiC for Electrical applications (SHAPE)” was applied in the MERA.NET Call 2023 and is co-financed with tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.
For more information on this project, please contact Dr.-Ing. Maik Trautmann, M.Sc. Saravanan Palaniyappan, M.Sc. Shimelis Bihon, and Univ.-Prof. Dr.-Ing. Guntram Wagner.
