Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing (MEX-AM) Of Copper Heat Sinks: Process Development, Product Design, And Process Optimization

This study explores the utilization of two types of gyroid lattice structures in the design of copper heat sinks manufactured through extrusion metal 3D printing. Feedstocks and filaments of copper powder-polymer system with 61 vol% were made and used to 3D print circular and rectangular gyroid lattice structures. After fabrication, the heat sinks underwent crucial processes including debinding, sintering, and HIP treatments to ensure structural robustness and density. The efficiency of the heat sinks was assessed based on their stabilization temperature and time required for stabilization under a constant power supply of 1W. Furthermore, the impact of glass bead blasting on overall efficiency was investigated. Results revealed that the rectangular gyroid lattice heat sink outperformed its circular counterpart, exhibiting a greater temperature reduction post-glass bead blasting treatment. This suggests that post-processing techniques like bead blasting can significantly enhance heat sink performance by augmenting surface area with micro-pit sites.