  This paper is devoted to experimental characterisation of linear thermal
expansion coefficient (LTEC) and mechanical characteristics of the laser
deposited Cu-Fe system multilayer functionally graded (FG) structures and
binary Cu-Fe alloys, fabricated from the tin, aluminium, and chromium bronze
with 89-99 wt.% of copper and stainless steel (SS) AISI 316L with 1:1 and 3:1
bronze-to-steel ratio. The best tensile mechanical strength of as-built parts
is demonstrated by the aluminium bronze-stainless steel 1:1 alloy and reaches
876.4 MPa along with low elasticity modulus (11.2 GPa) and 1.684 1/K LTEC.
Contrarily, the worst values of the mechanical characteristics are exhibited by
parts created from the chromium bronze and SS, which failed at 294.0-463.3 MPa
ultimate stress, showed the highest elasticity modulus (up to 42.4 GPa) and
comparatively high average LTEC (up to 1.878 1/K). The aluminium
bronze-stainless steel binary and FG alloys are discussed in the light of
prospective application as the part of gradient materials, created by additive
manufacturing (AM) technologies via the gradient path method and the
alternating layers technique, with expected possibility of application in
aerospace, nuclear, and electronic industry due to advantageous combination of
the antifrictionality, heat conductivity, and oxidation resistance of the
bronze, and the high mechanical strength, corrosion and creep resistance of the
stainless steel.
