Ultrasonic vibration suppresses liquid metal embrittlement in additively manufactured copper/austenitic stainless steel bimetallic structures via α-Fe band regulation

doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2025.10.028

Abstract

Abstract: Liquid metal embrittlement (LME) cracks at copper/austenitic stainless steel interfaces remain a critical barrier to the reliable fabrication of bimetallic components via additive manufacturing. Here, we propose an ultrasonic vibration (UV)-assisted laser directed energy deposition (LDED) strategy to eliminate interfacial LME cracking by in situ formation of a continuous α-Fe band. Through synchronized application of UV during LDED of CuSn10/304SS, LME crack depth was reduced from 562 µm to zero, achieving complete suppression of LME cracks. Multi-scale characterization combined with Scheil-model thermodynamic calculations revealed that UV enhances solute homogenization, reducing interfacial Ni content from 6.27 to 4.75 wt. % and promoting α-Fe nucleation (volume fraction: 39.6 % vs. 6.24 % without UV). The resultant α-Fe band acts as a diffusion barrier against Cu penetration, while acoustic streaming suppresses Sn segregation and relieves residual stress concentration. This approach enables the fabrication of crack-free bimetallic structures without interlayers or nanoparticles, demonstrating significant potential for enhancing the reliability of dissimilar metal bonding via UV.

Key words: Laser directed energy deposition, Copper/stainless steel, Liquid metal embrittlement, Ultrasonic vibration, Interfacial microstructure

Ding Yuan, Jiahua Wang, Xiaojing Sun, Zeng Zhang, Zhenlin Yang, Fengchun Jiang, Chao Wei. Ultrasonic vibration suppresses liquid metal embrittlement in additively manufactured copper/austenitic stainless steel bimetallic structures via α-Fe band regulation[J]. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2026, 262: 68-81.

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