LAUSR

Prior work has demonstrated greater antipathogenic efficacy concerning the nanostructured copper cold spray coatings versus conventional copper cold spray coatings, while both the nanostructured and conventional cold spray coatings maintain greater contact killing/inactivation rates relative to other thermal spray deposition methods. Recent work has more heavily focused upon the nanostructured cold spray coatings greater efficacy. However, the antimicrobial efficacy of conventional copper cold spray coatings may be improved upon by way of identifying processing parameters that yield microstructures with the greatest concentration of atomic copper ion diffusion pathways. Since ideal processing parameters for a given application can be computed in silico via finite element analysis methods, the fundamental computational frameworks for doing so using the Johnson–Cook and Preston–Tonks–Wallace plasticity models. Modeled single-particle impact morphology outputs were compared with experimental microstructures using scanning electron microscopy and optical microscopy. The computed von Mises flow stresses associated with the two plasticity models were compared with traditionally static nanoindentation data as well as dynamic spherical nanoindentation stress–strain curves. Continued work with the finite element analysis framework developed herein will enable the best cold spray parameters to be identified for optimized antimicrobial properties as a function of deformation-mediated microstructures while still maintaining the structural integrity of the deposited material. Subsequent work will extend the finite element analysis models to multi-particle impacts when spray-dried and gas-atomized copper powder particles have been appropriately meshed.