OBRABOTKAMETALLOV MATERIAL SCIENCE Vol. 27 No. 3 2025 systems. The desired level of properties is attained not just by adjusting the alloying components but also through further thermal treatment and mechanical processing, which influences the material’s physical and mechanical properties [1]. Even though a significant amount of work has already been accomplished in this field, ongoing exploratory research continues to be directed toward the creation of innovative structural and functional materials to meet contemporary industrial demands [1]. Although significant progress has been made in this field, ongoing exploratory research continues to focus on creating new structural and functional materials for contemporary industrial requirements. The present phase of progress in material technologies is linked to the enhancement of additive techniques for creating items from robust materials that have excellent processability, adequate corrosion resistance, and wear resistance. To achieve an additive material with an adequate level of strength and functional characteristics, it is essential to identify a logical combination of printing parameters and filament formulation. The most crucial factor is the selection of the alloying element composition that will yield the required structure and phase constitution. Following this, the thermal treatment and mechanical processing modes for the printed material are established to achieve the intended functional characteristics. Aluminum bronzes are noted for their excellent strength and formability under pressure. Incorporating silicon enhances ductility and improves resistance to corrosion and cyclic impact loads, all while preserving high strength. These properties can be further enhanced by adding manganese to the Cu-Al-Si system, which promotes increased strength, hardness, and corrosion resistance. Silicon and manganese enhance the stability of the ductile FCC α-phase formed from alloying elements in copper and inhibit the development of the brittle β-Cu3Al phase. Nonetheless, high concentrations of these elements can also result in the formation of silicide particles and other reinforcement phases within the Mn-Al system. This is crucial for enhancing the mechanical characteristics of bronze through mechanical processes (forging, rolling, etc.). In industrial alloys of the Cu-Al system, with approximately 8–12 wt. % Al, the phases that exist in equilibrium at room temperature include the solid solution phase α-Cu(Al) and the intermetallic compounds β-Cu3Al and γ2-Cu9Al4. The latter is the product of the decomposition of high-temperature β-Cu3Al into γ2-Cu9Al4 and α-Cu. The development of γ2-Cu9Al4 causes a reduction in the plasticity and corrosion resistance of bronze; thus, attempts are being made to remove it. One method to accomplish this could involve encouraging the diffusionless change from β to βʹ. The presence of βʹ-Cu3Al greatly influences the mechanical characteristics by enhancing microhardness and strength [5, 6, 7]. In the Cu-Si system, the predominant phase is the solid solution α-Cu(Si). A multiphase composition, comprising copper silicides, develops when the silicon content exceeds 5 wt.% [8]. The creation of copper silicides with higher silicon levels leads to enhanced strength and hardness in copper alloys [9]. The scenario is more intricate with the Cu-Al-Si system. The majority of the research on this system centers on analyzing the phase composition in areas with ele-vated aluminum levels [10–12], along with high silicon concentrations [13]. It has been previously noted that in such bronze, structures with FCC, BCC, and HCP crystal lattices, along with silicide particles, may develop [14]. The composition of phases is directly influenced by the amounts of aluminum and silicon, along with the temperature and the rate of solidification. This study suggests that a rise in aluminum content aids in creating a more multiphase structure. According to the modeling results [15], at temperatures of 500 °C and 700 °C in the Cu-Al-Si ternary system with approximately 10 at.% Al and about 3 at.% Si, the alloy appears to be multiphase. Nonetheless, this paper does not provide findings from structural studies that validate this information. Aluminum bronzes typically exhibit a structure with large columnar grains or dendrites after casting. Similarly, in the three-dimensional printing process using electron beam additive manufacturing, bronzes based on copper-aluminum (Cu-Al), copper-silicon-manganese (Cu-Si-Mn), and copper-aluminummanganese (Cu-Al-Mn) systems also develop a columnar grain structure in the samples [16–18]. These grains are undesirable, hindering the material’s strength and ductility. Therefore, a critical challenge for current researchers is to devise methods for controlling the microstructure of bronze alloys – through techniques like thermomechanical processing or alloying — to ensure improvements in their strength, wear resistance, and fatigue life.
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