An induction heat treatment method for improving the mechanical properties and electrical conductivity of cold spray additive manufactured copper deposit

The metallic deposits produced by cold spray additive manufacturing (CSAM) often fail to meet the structural requirements, necessitating post-treatment. This study introduces induction heat (IH) to heat-treat the Cu deposit for the first time, and its influence on deposit microstructure and mechanical properties was analyzed. Microstructure analysis shows that IH treatment reduces dislocations and prevents pore formation, but increases grain size. Electrical conductivity significantly increases from 15 MS/m in the CSAM deposit to 31 MS/m after IH treatment, indicating improved bonding between particles. IH treatment can vastly enhance the mechanical properties of the CSAM deposit, increasing its tensile strength from 58 MPa and elongation at break from 1.5% to 118 MPa and 7.5%, respectively. Overall, IH treatment had a positive impact on interparticle bonding and mechanical properties.