Fabrication and Evaluation of the Al-STS-Cu Functionally Graded Materials

Aluminum (Al) and copper(Cu) are non-ferrous alloys with excellent electrical and thermal conductivity but have relatively lower mechanical properties than iron alloys. Stainless steel(STS), an iron alloy, is a high-strength industrial material due to its excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance compared to non-ferrous Al and Cu. In this research combined Al, Cu, and STS to fabricate as a functionally graded material (FGM) through a powder metallurgical process. The produced FGM exhibited lightweight and excellent surface hardness compared to copper and iron alloys and also showed higher thermal conductivity than single Al and STS materials.