Research Progress on the Process, Microstructure, and Properties of Additively Manufactured Copper-based Materials

NIU Jinghan; DENG Hailiang; WANG Pei; GUO Liping; LIANG Shijie; CAI Jiawei; FU Zhiqiang; XU Jifu

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2026.08.002

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Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering ›› 2026, Vol. 18 ›› Issue (8) : 14-33. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2026.08.002

Key Technologies for Precision Forming of High-end Energy and Aerospace Equipment Components

Research Progress on the Process, Microstructure, and Properties of Additively Manufactured Copper-based Materials

NIU Jinghan¹, DENG Hailiang^1,*, WANG Pei², GUO Liping², LIANG Shijie³, CAI Jiawei⁴, FU Zhiqiang⁴, XU Jifu⁵

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Abstract

Copper-based materials are widely used in aerospace, transportation, electronics, medical, and energy power fields due to their excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, ductility, corrosion resistance, antibacterial properties, and toughness. With the increasing demand for lightweight, complexity, and integrated structural and functional components, traditional casting, forging, and cutting processes are gradually being limited in areas such as forming complex structures, material utilization, and manufacturing cycles. Additive manufacturing (AM) technology can achieve layer-by-layer forming of copper-based components based on 3D models, providing new approaches for manufacturing complex internal cavities, conformal cooling channels, and functionally gradient components. The work aims to review the research progress in additive manufacturing of copper-based materials, with a focus on the principles and characteristics of laser powder bed fusion, electron beam powder bed fusion, directed energy deposition, powder extrusion, and binder jetting, as well as typical defects arising during fabrication, including pores, cracks, lack of fusion, and microstructural inhomogeneity. Strategies for improving the forming quality and material properties, including process optimization, powder modification, alloying design, heat treatment, and hot isostatic pressing, are summarized. Finally, the future development directions of additive manufacturing of copper-based materials in areas such as material system expansion, online monitoring, standardization evaluation, and industrial application are discussed, aiming to provide a reference for high-quality manufacturing of integrated copper-based components with integrated structural functions.

Key words

copper-based materials / additive manufacturing / microstructure regulation / mechanical properties / integrated structural functions

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NIU Jinghan, DENG Hailiang, WANG Pei, GUO Liping, LIANG Shijie, CAI Jiawei, FU Zhiqiang, XU Jifu. Research Progress on the Process, Microstructure, and Properties of Additively Manufactured Copper-based Materials[J]. Journal of Netshape Forming Engineering. 2026, 18(8): 14-33 https://doi.org/10.3969/j.issn.1674-6457.2026.08.002

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