Copper additive manufacturing using MIM feedstock: adjustment of printing, debinding, and sintering parameters for processing dense and defectless parts

Abstract In the present study, an additive manufacturing process of copper using extrusion 3D printing, solvent and thermal debinding, sintering was explored. Extrusion printing metal injection moulding (MIM) feedstock used to fabricate green body samples. The performed with optimized parameters achieve high density low surface roughness. To remove water-soluble polymer, immersed in water for debinding. interconnected voids formed during debinding were favorable removing backbone polymer from brown Thermal up 500 °C, ~ 6.5% total weight loss sample estimated. Finally, thermally debinded samples at 950, 1000, 1030, 1050° C . highest temperature provided relative (94.5%) isotropic shrinkage. Micro-computed tomography (μCT) examination on sintered samples, qualitative quantitative analysis porosity confirmed benefits conditions final microstructure. This work opens opportunity produce pure components complicated shapes density, utilizing raw MIM as starting material.