Property estimation of functionally graded materials between M2 tool steel and Cu fabricated by powder metallurgy

The use of functionally graded materials (FGMs) may enhance thermal conductivity without reducing the desired strength in many applications such as injection molds embedding conformal cooling channels and cutting tools with heat sinks (or cooling devices). As a fundamental study for cutting tools having FGM heat sinks between M2 tool steel and Cu, six FGM specimens (M2 and Cu powders were premixed such that the relative compositions of M2 and Cu were 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80, and 0:100 wt%) were fabricated by powder metallurgy in this study. The cross sections of these specimens were observed by optical microscopy, and then the material properties (such as thermal conductivity, specific heat, and coefficient of thermal expansion) related to heat transfer were measured and analyzed.