Copper-based materials have long been used for their outstanding thermal and electrical conductivities in various applications, such as heat exchangers, induction heat coils, cooling channels, radiators, and electronic connectors. The development of advanced copper alloys has broadened their utilization to include structural applications in harsh service conditions found in industries like oil and gas, marine, power plants, and water treatment, where good corrosion resistance and a combination of high strength, wear, and fatigue tolerance are critical. These advanced multi-component structures often have complex designs and intricate geometries, requiring extensive metallurgical processing routes and the joining of the individual components into a final structure. Additive manufacturing (AM) has revolutionized the way complex structures are designed and manufactured. It has reduced the processing steps, assemblies, and tooling while also eliminating the need for joining processes. However, the high thermal conductivity of copper and its high reflectivity to near-infrared radiation present challenges in the production of copper alloys using fusion-based AM processes, especially with Yb-fiber laser-based techniques. To overcome these difficulties, various solutions have been proposed, such as the use of high-power, low-wavelength laser sources, preheating the build chamber, employing low thermal conductivity building platforms, and adding alloying elements or composite particles to the feedstock material. This article systematically reviews different aspects of AM processing of common industrial copper alloys and composites, including copper-chrome, copper-nickel, tin-bronze, nickel-aluminum bronze, copper-carbon composites, copper-ceramic composites, and copper-metal composites. It focuses on the state-of-the-art AM techniques employed for processing different copper-based materials and the associated technological and metallurgical challenges, optimized processing variables, the impact of post-printing heat treatments, the resulting microstructural features, physical properties, mechanical performance, and corrosion response of the AM-fabricated parts. Where applicable, a comprehensive comparison of the results with those of their conventionally fabricated counterparts is provided.

This study investigates the impact of incorporating TiC and TiB₂ inoculants on the microstructure and corrosion performance of an arc-directed energy-deposited PH 13-8Mo martensitic stainless steel. The microstructural characterizations revealed partial dissolution of the incorporated ceramic-based nanoparticles, resulting in the formation of in situ TiC phase in the TiC-inoculated sample, while TiC and chromium-enriched M₃B₂ phases were formed in the TiB₂-inoculated sample. Further investigations into the electrochemical response of the fabricated samples confirmed that the applied inoculation strategy slightly enhanced the corrosion resistance of the alloy, offering a valuable advantage for in-service performance for applications in harsher environments. The slight improvement in the corrosion resistance of the inoculated samples was found to be attributed to the formation of a higher fraction of low-angle grain boundaries and enhanced retained austenite content in the microstructure. However, it is essential to note that the formation of chromium-enriched M₃B₂ phases in the TiB₂-inoculated sample led to a slight deterioration in its corrosion resistance compared to the TiC-inoculated counterpart.