Technology Tech Breakthrough Under Review

German Research Institutes Develop Additive Manufacturing of Cu-Cr-Nb Alloys for High-Temperature Components Above 500°C

2026-06-12

Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences, RWTH Aachen University, and industry partner KME have launched the three-year DFG-funded 'Cu-VHCF' project to study additive manufacturing of copper alloys. Copper's 98% reflectivity in standard LPBF (red laser) makes uniform melting extremely challenging. The project focuses on high-performance alloys like copper-chromium-niobium (Cu-Cr-Nb). Leveraging extremely high cooling rates during printing, finely dispersed chromium-niobium particles are formed, significantly enhancing material strength, improving creep behavior, and promoting the formation of protective oxide layers—enabling copper alloys to maintain long-term performance above 500°C. RWTH Aachen will develop a digital twin model to optimize alloy composition and process parameters, providing a scalable copper alloy solution for rocket engines, heat exchangers, high-pressure systems, and aerospace components.

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德研究机构联手开发铜铬铌合金增材制造，瞄准500°C以上高温部件

德国奥斯纳布吕克应用科学大学联合亚琛工业大学及行业伙伴KME，启动为期三年的DFG“Cu-VHCF”项目，专门研究铜合金的增材制造。铜在标准LPBF（红色激光）中反射率达98%，均匀熔化极难。项目聚焦铜铬铌（Cu-Cr-Nb）等高性能合金，利用极高冷却速率在打印过程中形成细分散的铬铌颗粒（弥散体），可显著提高材料强度、改善蠕变行为，并促进保护性氧化层生成，使铜合金在500°C以上仍可长期使用。亚琛工大将建立数字孪生模型优化合金成分与工艺参数，为火箭发动机、热交换器、高压系统及航空航天部件提供可批量生产的铜合金方案。

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