Al–Cu Composite Casting of Laser-Deoxidized Copper: Bonding, Interfacial Chemistry, and Thermal Conductivity

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Autorschaft

Externe Organisationen

  • Technische Universität Clausthal (TUC)
  • Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH)
Forschungs-netzwerk anzeigen

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
FachzeitschriftAdvanced engineering materials
PublikationsstatusElektronisch veröffentlicht (E-Pub) - 23 Feb. 2026

Abstract

This work addresses a central challenge in Al–Cu compound casting: native copper oxides, which inhibit wetting and metallurgical bonding. A laser-based deoxidation strategy (ns-pulsed, 1064 nm) performed under oxygen-free, XHV-equivalent glovebox conditions, and quantifying subsequent oxide regrowth during realistic short-term handling, is demonstrated. Surface roughness was tuned via pulse/line overlap (0% vs. 70%) and characterized using confocal microscopy and power spectral density analysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that laser processing under XHV-equivalent conditions produces copper surfaces that are more than 98% oxide-free and remain predominantly metallic for at least 720 h, whereas exposure to ambient air rapidly leads to the formation of a Cu2O/Cu(OH)2 surface layer within 24 h. Subsequent post-treatment heating promotes the transformation Cu (Formula presented.) O (Formula presented.) CuO, in accordance with established low-temperature oxidation pathways. Casting under XHV-equivalent conditions yields fully bonded Al–Cu interfaces with the expected Al2Cu, AlCu, and Al4Cu9 intermetallic layers. Intermetallic compound (IMC) morphology is more strongly governed by processing parameters (temperature, expected melt-to-solid ratio, and thermal history) than by minor short-term oxide regrowth. Overall, laser deoxidation under XHV-equivalent conditions emerges as a pretreatment that improves wetting, enables controllable IMC formation, and preserves high interfacial thermal conductivity in Al–Cu composite castings.

ASJC Scopus Sachgebiete

Zitieren

Al–Cu Composite Casting of Laser-Deoxidized Copper: Bonding, Interfacial Chemistry, and Thermal Conductivity. / Steinhoff, Timon; Janthur, Finn Lennard; Zimmermann, Sascha et al.
in: Advanced engineering materials, 23.02.2026.

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftArtikelForschungPeer-Review

Steinhoff, T., Janthur, F. L., Zimmermann, S., Seffer, S., Hermsdorf, J., Gustus, R., Overmeyer, L., Maus-Friedrichs, W., Maier, H. J., & Klose, C. (2026). Al–Cu Composite Casting of Laser-Deoxidized Copper: Bonding, Interfacial Chemistry, and Thermal Conductivity. Advanced engineering materials. Vorabveröffentlichung online. https://doi.org/10.1002/adem.202502800
Steinhoff T, Janthur FL, Zimmermann S, Seffer S, Hermsdorf J, Gustus R et al. Al–Cu Composite Casting of Laser-Deoxidized Copper: Bonding, Interfacial Chemistry, and Thermal Conductivity. Advanced engineering materials. 2026 Feb 23. Epub 2026 Feb 23. doi: 10.1002/adem.202502800
Download
@article{4a95ab632087437cb83117ef64c27f60,
title = "Al–Cu Composite Casting of Laser-Deoxidized Copper: Bonding, Interfacial Chemistry, and Thermal Conductivity",
abstract = "This work addresses a central challenge in Al–Cu compound casting: native copper oxides, which inhibit wetting and metallurgical bonding. A laser-based deoxidation strategy (ns-pulsed, 1064 nm) performed under oxygen-free, XHV-equivalent glovebox conditions, and quantifying subsequent oxide regrowth during realistic short-term handling, is demonstrated. Surface roughness was tuned via pulse/line overlap (0% vs. 70%) and characterized using confocal microscopy and power spectral density analysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that laser processing under XHV-equivalent conditions produces copper surfaces that are more than 98% oxide-free and remain predominantly metallic for at least 720 h, whereas exposure to ambient air rapidly leads to the formation of a Cu2O/Cu(OH)2 surface layer within 24 h. Subsequent post-treatment heating promotes the transformation Cu (Formula presented.) O (Formula presented.) CuO, in accordance with established low-temperature oxidation pathways. Casting under XHV-equivalent conditions yields fully bonded Al–Cu interfaces with the expected Al2Cu, AlCu, and Al4Cu9 intermetallic layers. Intermetallic compound (IMC) morphology is more strongly governed by processing parameters (temperature, expected melt-to-solid ratio, and thermal history) than by minor short-term oxide regrowth. Overall, laser deoxidation under XHV-equivalent conditions emerges as a pretreatment that improves wetting, enables controllable IMC formation, and preserves high interfacial thermal conductivity in Al–Cu composite castings.",
keywords = "Al–Cu, compound casting, copper oxidation kinetics, intermetallic compounds, laser deoxidation",
author = "Timon Steinhoff and Janthur, {Finn Lennard} and Sascha Zimmermann and Sarah Seffer and J{\"o}rg Hermsdorf and Ren{\'e} Gustus and Ludger Overmeyer and Wolfgang Maus-Friedrichs and Maier, {Hans J{\"u}rgen} and Christian Klose",
note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 The Author(s). Advanced Engineering Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.",
year = "2026",
month = feb,
day = "23",
doi = "10.1002/adem.202502800",
language = "English",
journal = "Advanced engineering materials",
issn = "1438-1656",
publisher = "Wiley-VCH Verlag",

}

Download

TY - JOUR

T1 - Al–Cu Composite Casting of Laser-Deoxidized Copper

T2 - Bonding, Interfacial Chemistry, and Thermal Conductivity

AU - Steinhoff, Timon

AU - Janthur, Finn Lennard

AU - Zimmermann, Sascha

AU - Seffer, Sarah

AU - Hermsdorf, Jörg

AU - Gustus, René

AU - Overmeyer, Ludger

AU - Maus-Friedrichs, Wolfgang

AU - Maier, Hans Jürgen

AU - Klose, Christian

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s). Advanced Engineering Materials published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.

PY - 2026/2/23

Y1 - 2026/2/23

N2 - This work addresses a central challenge in Al–Cu compound casting: native copper oxides, which inhibit wetting and metallurgical bonding. A laser-based deoxidation strategy (ns-pulsed, 1064 nm) performed under oxygen-free, XHV-equivalent glovebox conditions, and quantifying subsequent oxide regrowth during realistic short-term handling, is demonstrated. Surface roughness was tuned via pulse/line overlap (0% vs. 70%) and characterized using confocal microscopy and power spectral density analysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that laser processing under XHV-equivalent conditions produces copper surfaces that are more than 98% oxide-free and remain predominantly metallic for at least 720 h, whereas exposure to ambient air rapidly leads to the formation of a Cu2O/Cu(OH)2 surface layer within 24 h. Subsequent post-treatment heating promotes the transformation Cu (Formula presented.) O (Formula presented.) CuO, in accordance with established low-temperature oxidation pathways. Casting under XHV-equivalent conditions yields fully bonded Al–Cu interfaces with the expected Al2Cu, AlCu, and Al4Cu9 intermetallic layers. Intermetallic compound (IMC) morphology is more strongly governed by processing parameters (temperature, expected melt-to-solid ratio, and thermal history) than by minor short-term oxide regrowth. Overall, laser deoxidation under XHV-equivalent conditions emerges as a pretreatment that improves wetting, enables controllable IMC formation, and preserves high interfacial thermal conductivity in Al–Cu composite castings.

AB - This work addresses a central challenge in Al–Cu compound casting: native copper oxides, which inhibit wetting and metallurgical bonding. A laser-based deoxidation strategy (ns-pulsed, 1064 nm) performed under oxygen-free, XHV-equivalent glovebox conditions, and quantifying subsequent oxide regrowth during realistic short-term handling, is demonstrated. Surface roughness was tuned via pulse/line overlap (0% vs. 70%) and characterized using confocal microscopy and power spectral density analysis. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that laser processing under XHV-equivalent conditions produces copper surfaces that are more than 98% oxide-free and remain predominantly metallic for at least 720 h, whereas exposure to ambient air rapidly leads to the formation of a Cu2O/Cu(OH)2 surface layer within 24 h. Subsequent post-treatment heating promotes the transformation Cu (Formula presented.) O (Formula presented.) CuO, in accordance with established low-temperature oxidation pathways. Casting under XHV-equivalent conditions yields fully bonded Al–Cu interfaces with the expected Al2Cu, AlCu, and Al4Cu9 intermetallic layers. Intermetallic compound (IMC) morphology is more strongly governed by processing parameters (temperature, expected melt-to-solid ratio, and thermal history) than by minor short-term oxide regrowth. Overall, laser deoxidation under XHV-equivalent conditions emerges as a pretreatment that improves wetting, enables controllable IMC formation, and preserves high interfacial thermal conductivity in Al–Cu composite castings.

KW - Al–Cu

KW - compound casting

KW - copper oxidation kinetics

KW - intermetallic compounds

KW - laser deoxidation

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105030556163&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1002/adem.202502800

DO - 10.1002/adem.202502800

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105030556163

JO - Advanced engineering materials

JF - Advanced engineering materials

SN - 1438-1656

ER -

Von denselben Autoren