Continuous extrusion of Cu-based material from recycling loop into semi-finished products for sustainable applications.

CONFORM连续挤压是一种独特的金属成形工艺，不需要外部热量输入，可以使用固体或颗粒进料（如金属粉末），具有制造传统工艺无法制造的新型独特合金的潜力。由于CONFORM挤压是一种低温制造方法，并绕过了几个传统的加工步骤，它提供了一种可持续的，低碳足迹的替代制造工艺。本项目的目的是加深对CONFORM工艺的理解，然后将其应用于下一代铜基合金的开发。第一阶段将重点研究原料特性，关键工艺参数，以及控制颗粒挤出的工具设计。这将包括一系列铜合金化学成分、粒度、颗粒形态和粒度分布的小规模测试，以确定流动行为、压实行为和固结（流变）行为。还将检查工艺参数的影响，以确定模具设计、进料速率、轮速和温度的影响。这些数据将为有限元DEFORM软件和离散元建模EDEM软件提供必要的材料数据。第二阶段将利用上述发现制造无法通过常规工艺制造的新一代合金化学成分。第三阶段将评估这些新一代合金的显微组织和机械性能，并将其与最新的材料进行比较。通过研究和应用CONFORM工艺，该项目将为创新的、可持续的金属成形工艺和下一代合金开发做出贡献。

CONFORM continuous extrusion is a unique metal forming process that requires no external heat input and can use either solid or particulate feed such as metal powders, has the potential to manufacture new unique alloys that cannot be made by conventional processing. Because CONFORM extrusion is a low temperature manufacturing method and bypasses several conventional processing steps, it provides a sustainable, low carbon footprint alternative manufacturing process.The aims of this project are to develop a greater understanding of the CONFORM process and then apply this to the development of the next generation of copper-based alloys.The first phase will focus on studying the feedstock characteristics, key process parameters, and tooling designs that control particulate extrusion. This will include small scale testing of a range of copper alloy chemistries, particle sizes, particle morphologies, and particle size distributions to determine flow behavior, compaction behavior and consolidation (rheology) behavior. Process parameter effects will also be examined to determine the impact of tooling design, feedstock feed rate, wheel speed, and temperature. Such data will provide essential material data for both finite elements DEFORM software and discrete element modelling EDEM software.The second phase will use the above findings for fabricating a new generation of alloy chemistries that cannot be made via conventional processing.The third phase will assess the microstructural and mechanical properties of these new generation alloys and compare it to state-of-the-art conventionally manufactured alloys in order to evaluate the potential of CONFORM processing.By studying and applying the CONFORM process, this project will contribute to both, innovative, sustainable metal forming processes and next generation alloy development.