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Low-melting-point alloys integrated extrusion additive manufacturing
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  • Jingchao Jiang ,
  • Xiaoya Zhai ,
  • Kang Zhang ,
  • Liuchao Jin ,
  • Qitao Lu ,
  • Zhichao Shen ,
  • Wei-Hsin Liao
Jingchao Jiang
The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Xiaoya Zhai
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Kang Zhang
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Liuchao Jin
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Zhichao Shen
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Wei-Hsin Liao
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Abstract

Additive manufacturing has developed significantly. In contrast to established fabricated materials, low-melting-point alloys (LMPAs) are increasingly attractive because they have favorable electrical/thermal conductivities and mechanical strengths. However, LMPA additive manufacturing is still in its infancy. We report a novel strategy for fabricating the complex and/or multifunctional components of LMPAs by extrusion additive manufacturing with two nozzles (for extruding the polymer and for extruding the LMPA). The proposed strategy was used to successfully fabricate complex LMPA components for the first time. We fabricated LMPA/polymer composite parts with improved mechanical properties, and implemented the integrated manufacturing of circuits and 3D products. The strategy will enable the use of LMPAs in applications such as smart structures, electromagnetic shielding, biomedicine, thermal management, energy harvesting, and advanced electronics.
Jun 2023Published in Additive Manufacturing volume 72 on pages 103633. 10.1016/j.addma.2023.103633