Influence of heat treatment on microstructure,mechanical and corrosion behavior of WE43 alloy fabricated by laser-beam powder bed fusion

Magnesium(Mg)alloys are considered to be a new generation of revolutionary medical metals.Laser-beam powder bed fusion(PBF-LB)is suitable for fabricating metal implants withpersonalized and complicated structures.However,the as-built part usually exhibits undesirable microstructure and unsatisfactory performance.In this work,WE43 parts were firstly fabricated by PBF-LB and then subjected to heat treatment.Although a high densification rate of 99.91%was achieved using suitable processes,the as-built parts exhibited anisotropic and layeredmicrostructure with heterogeneously precipitated Nd-rich intermetallic.After heat treatment,fine and nano-scaled Mg24Y5particles were precipitated.Meanwhile,theα-Mg grainsunderwent recrystallization and turned coarsened slightly,which effectively weakened thetexture intensity and reduced the anisotropy.As a consequence,the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength were significantly improved to(250.2±3.5)MPa and(312±3.7)MPa,respectively,while the elongation was still maintained at a high level of 15.2%.Furthermore,the homogenized microstructure reduced the tendency of localized corrosion and favoredthe development of uniform passivation film.Thus,the degradation rate of WE43 parts was decreased by an order of magnitude.Besides,in-vitro cell experiments proved their favorable biocompatibility.

Influence of layer thickness on formation quality,microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion resistance of WE43 magnesium alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)of Mg alloys has provided tremendous opportunities for customized production of aeronautical and medical parts.Layer thickness(LT)is of great significance to the L-PBF process but has not been studied for Mg alloys.In this study,WE43 Mg alloy bulk cubes,porous scaffolds,and thin walls with layer thicknesses of 10,20,30,and 40μm were fabricated.The required laser energy input increased with increasing layer thickness and was different for the bulk cubes and porous scaffolds.Porosity tended to occur at the connection joints in porous scaffolds for LT40 and could be eliminated by reducing the laser energy input.For thin wall parts,a large overhang angle or a small wall thickness resulted in porosity when a large layer thicknesses was used,and the porosity disappeared by reducing the layer thickness or laser energy input.A deeper keyhole penetration was found in all occasions with porosity,explaining the influence of layer thickness,geometrical structure,and laser energy input on the porosity.All the samples achieved a high fusion quality with a relative density of over 99.5%using the optimized laser energy input.The increased layer thickness resulted to more precipitation phases,finer grain sizes and decreased grain texture.With the similar high fusion quality,the tensile strength and elongation of bulk samples were significantly improved from 257 MPa and 1.41%with the 10μm layer to 287 MPa and 15.12%with the 40μm layer,in accordance with the microstructural change.The effect of layer thickness on the compressive properties of porous scaffolds was limited.However,the corrosion rate of bulk samples accelerated with increasing the layer thickness,mainly attributed to the increased number of precipitation phases.

Alloy design for laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing:a critical review

Metal additive manufacturing(AM)has been extensively studied in recent decades.Despite the significant progress achieved in manufacturing complex shapes and structures,challenges such as severe cracking when using existing alloys for laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)AM have persisted.These challenges arise because commercial alloys are primarily designed for conventional casting or forging processes,overlooking the fast cooling rates,steep temperature gradients and multiple thermal cycles of L-PBF.To address this,there is an urgent need to develop novel alloys specifically tailored for L-PBF technologies.This review provides a comprehensive summary of the strategies employed in alloy design for L-PBF.It aims to guide future research on designing novel alloys dedicated to L-PBF instead of adapting existing alloys.The review begins by discussing the features of the L-PBF processes,focusing on rapid solidification and intrinsic heat treatment.Next,the printability of the four main existing alloys(Fe-,Ni-,Al-and Ti-based alloys)is critically assessed,with a comparison of their conventional weldability.It was found that the weldability criteria are not always applicable in estimating printability.Furthermore,the review presents recent advances in alloy development and associated strategies,categorizing them into crack mitigation-oriented,microstructure manipulation-oriented and machine learning-assisted approaches.Lastly,an outlook and suggestions are given to highlight the issues that need to be addressed in future work.

Microstructure and thermal properties of dissimilar M300–CuCr1Zr alloys by multi-material laser-based powder bed fusion

Multi-material laser-based powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) allows manufacturing of parts with 3-dimensional gradient and additional functionality in a single step. This research focuses on the combination of thermally-conductive CuCr1Zr with hard M300 tool steel.Two interface configurations of M300 on CuCr1Zr and CuCr1Zr on M300 were investigated. Ultra-fine grains form at the interface due to the low mutual solubility of Cu and steel. The material mixing zone size is dependent on the configurations and tunable in the range of0.1–0.3 mm by introducing a separate set of parameters for the interface layers. Microcracks and pores mainly occur in the transition zone.Regardless of these defects, the thermal diffusivity of bimetallic parts with 50vol% of CuCr1Zr significantly increases by 70%–150%compared to pure M300. The thermal diffusivity of CuCr1Zr and the hardness of M300 steel can be enhanced simultaneously by applying the aging heat treatment.

Microstructure evolution and strengthening mechanism of high -performance powder metallurgy TA15 titanium alloy by hot rolling

Hot deformation of sintered billets by powder metallurgy(PM)is an effective preparation technique for titanium alloys,which is more significant for high-alloying alloys.In this study,Ti–6.5Al–2Zr–Mo–V(TA15)titanium alloy plates were prepared by cold press-ing sintering combined with high-temperature hot rolling.The microstructure and mechanical properties under different process paramet-ers were investigated.Optical microscope,electron backscatter diffraction,and others were applied to characterize the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties strengthening mechanism.The results showed that the chemical compositions were uniformly dif-fused without segregation during sintering,and the closing of the matrix craters was accelerated by increasing the sintering temperature.The block was hot rolled at 1200℃ with an 80%reduction under only two passes without annealing.The strength and elongation of the plate at 20–25℃ after solution and aging were 1247 MPa and 14.0%,respectively,which were increased by 24.5%and 40.0%,respect-ively,compared with the as-sintered alloy at 1300℃.The microstructure was significantly refined by continuous dynamic recrystalliza-tion,which was completed by the rotation and dislocation absorption of the substructure surrounded by low-angle grain boundaries.After hot rolling combined with heat treatment,the strength and plasticity of PM-TA15 were significantly improved,which resulted from the dense,uniform,and fine recrystallization structure and the synergistic effect of multiple slip systems.

Effect of solution treatment on the microstructure,phase transformation behavior and functional properties of NiTiNb ternary shape memory alloys fabricated via laser powder bed fusion in-situ alloying

Post-heat treatment is commonly employed to improve the microstructural homogeneity and enhance the mechanical performances of the additively manufactured metallic materials.In this work,a ternary(NiTi)91Nb9(at.%)shape memory alloy was produced by laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)using pre-alloyed NiTi and elemental Nb powders.The effect of solution treatment on the microstructure,phase transformation behavior and mechanical/functional performances was investigated.The in-situ alloyed(NiTi)91Nb9 alloy exhibits a submicron cellular-dendritic structure surrounding the supersaturated B2-NiTi matrix.Upon high-temperature(1273 K)solution treatment,Nb-rich precipitates were precipitated from the supersaturated matrix.The fragmentation and spheroidization of the NiTi/Nb eutectics occurred during solution treatment,leading to a morphological transition from mesh-like into rod-like and sphere-like.Coarsening of theβ-Nb phases occurred with increasing holding time.The martensite transformation temperature increases after solution treatment,mainly attributed to:(i)reduced lattice distortion due to the Nb expulsion from the supersaturated B2-NiTi,and(ii)the Ti expulsion from theβ-Nb phases that lowers the ratio Ni/Ti in the B2-NiTi matrix,which resulted from the microstructure changes from non-equilibrium to equilibrium state.The thermal hysteresis of the solutionized alloys is around 145 K after 20%pre-deformation,which is comparable to the conventional NiTiNb alloys.A short-term solution treatment(i.e.at 1273 K for 30 min)enhances the ductility and strength of the as-printed specimen,with the increase of fracture stress from(613±19)MPa to(781±20)MPa and the increase of fracture strain from(7.6±0.1)%to(9.5±0.4)%.Both the as-printed and solutionized samples exhibit good tensile shape memory effects with recovery rates>90%.This work suggests that post-process heat treatment is essential to optimize the microstructure and improve the mechanical performances of the L-PBF in-situ alloyed parts.

Effect of process parameters on microstructure and mechanical properties of a nickel-aluminum-bronze alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

This work investigated the effect of process parameters on densification,microstructure,and mechanical properties of a nickel-aluminum-bronze(NAB)alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)additive manufacturing.The LPBF-printed NAB alloy samples with relative densities of over 98.5%were obtained under the volumetric energy density range of 200−250 J/mm^(3).The microstructure of the NAB alloy printed in both horizontal and vertical planes primarily consisted ofβ'martensitic phase and bandedαphase.In particular,a coarser-columnar grain structure and stronger crystallographic texture were achieved in the vertical plane,where the maximum texture intensity was 30.56 times greater than that of random textures at the(100)plane.Increasing the volumetric energy density resulted in a decrease in the columnar grain size,while increasing the amount ofαphase.Notably,β_(1)'martensitic structures with nanotwins and nanoscaleκ-phase precipitates were identified in the microstructure of LPBF-printed NAB samples with a volumetric energy density of 250 J/mm^(3).Furthermore,under optimal process parameters with a laser power of 350 W and scanning speed of 800 mm/s,significant improvements were observed in the microhardness(HV 386)and ultimate tensile strength(671 MPa),which was attributed to an increase in refined acicular martensite.

Micro-aluminum powder with bi-or tri-component alloy coating as a promising catalyst:Boosting pyrolysis and combustion of ammonium perchlorate

A novel design of micro-aluminum(μAl)powder coated with bi-/tri-component alloy layer,such as:Ni-P and Ni-P-Cu(namely,Al@Ni-P,Al@Ni-P-Cu,respectively),as combustion catalysts,were introduced to release its huge energy inside Al-core and promote rapid pyrolysis of ammonium perchlorate(AP)at a lower temperature in aluminized propellants.The microstructure of Al@Ni-P-Cu demonstrates that a three-layer Ni-P-Cu shell,with the thickness of~100 nm,is uniformly supported byμAl carrier(fuel unit),which has an amorphous surface with a thickness of~2.3 nm(catalytic unit).The peak temperature of AP with the addition of Al@Ni-P-Cu(3.5%)could significantly drop to 316.2℃ at high-temperature thermal decomposition,reduced by 124.3℃,in comparison to that of pure AP with 440.5℃.It illustrated that the introduction of Al@Ni-P-Cu could weaken or even eliminate the obstacle of AP pyrolysis due to its reduction of activation energy with 118.28 kJ/mol.The laser ignition results showed that the ignition delay time of Al@Ni-P-Cu/AP mixture with 78 ms in air is shorter than that of Al@Ni-P/AP(118 ms),decreased by 33.90%.Those astonishing breakthroughs were attributed to the synergistic effects of adequate active sites on amorphous surface and oxidation exothermic reactions(7597.7 J/g)of Al@Ni-P-Cu,resulting in accelerated mass and/or heat transfer rate to catalyze AP pyrolysis and combustion.Moreover,it is believed to provide an alternative Al-based combustion catalyst for propellant designer,to promote the development the propellants toward a higher energy.

Effect of cooling rate on microstructure and tensile properties of powder metallurgy Ni-based superalloy

The effects of size distribution,morphology and volume fraction ofγ′phase and grain size on tensile properties of powder processed Ni-based superalloy were investigated by using two different quenching methods.Oil quenching and air cooling were adopted with cooling rate of 183°C/s and 4?15°C/s,respectively.The experimental results show that the average size of the secondaryγ′after oil quenching is 24.5 nm compared with 49.8 nm under air cooling,and corresponding volume fractions ofγ′are 29%and 34%,respectively.Meanwhile,the average grain size remains nearly equivalent from both oil-quenching and air-cooling specimens.The tensile strength at room temperature is higher for the oil-quenched specimen than the equivalent from the air-cooled specimen,but the difference approaches each other as the temperature increases to 650°C.The fractography clearly demonstrates that transgranular fracture governs the failure process at ambient temperature,in contrast to the intergranular fracture at 650°C or even higher temperature.These two mechanical responses indicate the strengthening effects ofγ′precipitates and grain boundary for polycrystalline Ni-based superalloys at different temperatures.

Effect of bonding parameters on microstructures and properties during TLP bonding of Ni-based super alloy

Ni-based alloy was transient liquid phase bonded using a BNi-2 interlayer. The effect of bonding parameters on the microstructures and mechanical properties of the joints was investigated. With the increase of bonding temperature or time, the number of Ni-rich and Cr-rich borides and the grain size of precipitation zone decrease. Higher bonding temperature or longer bonding time is beneficial to the diffusion of melting point depressant elements （B and Si） from the PZ to the base metal and atomic interdiffusion between the base metal and the joint. The chemical composition and microstructure of the joints bonded at 1170 ℃ for 24 h are comparable to the base metal. The shear test results show that both the room and elevated temperature shear-strengths of the joints increase with increasing bonding time. However, the effect of bonding time on elevated temperature tensile-shear strength is greater than on room temperature tensile-shear strength.

Microstructure and shear strength of reactive brazing joints of TiAl/Ni-based alloy

Reactive brazing of TiAl-based intermetallics and Ni-based alloy with Ti foil as interlayer was investigated. The interfacial microstructure and shear strength of the joints were studied. According to the experimental observations, the molten interlayer reacts vigorously with base metals, forming several continuous reaction layers. The typical interfacial microstructure of the joint can be expressed as GH99/（Ni,Cr）ss（γ）/TiNi（β2）＋TiNi2Al（τ4）＋Ti2Ni（δ）/δ＋Ti3Al（α2）＋Al3NiTi2（τ3）/α2＋τ3/TiAl. The maximum shear strength is 258 MPa for the specimen brazed at 1000°C for 10 min. Higher brazing temperature or longer brazing time causes coarsening of the phases in the brazing seam and formation of brittle intermetallic layer, which greatly depresses the shear strength of the joints.

Tribological properties of nanostructured Al_2O_3-40%TiO_2 multiphase ceramic particles reinforced Ni-based alloy composite coatings

The Ni-based alloy composite coatings reinforced by nanostructured Al2O3-40%TiO2 multiphase ceramic particles were prepared on the surface of 7005 aluminum alloy by plasma spray technology. The microstructure and tribological properties of the composite coatings were researched. The results show that the composite coatings mainly consist of γ-Ni, α-Al2O3, γ-Al2O3 and rutile-TiO2 etc, and exhibit lower friction coefficients and wear losses than the Ni-based alloy coatings at different loads and speeds. The composite coating bears low contact stress at 3 N and its wear mechanism is micro-cutting wear. As loads increase to 6-12 N, the contact stress is higher than the elastic limit stress of worn surface, and the wear mechanisms change into multi-plastic deformation wear, micro-brittle fracture wear and abrasive wear. With the increase of speeds, the contact temperature of worn surface increases. The composite coating experiences multi-plastic deformation wear, fatigue wear and adhesive wear.

Laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing of NiTi shape memory alloys: a review

NiTi alloys have drawn significant attentions in biomedical and aerospace fields due to their unique shape memory effect(SME),superelasticity(SE),damping characteristics,high corrosion resistance,and good biocompatibility.Because of the unsatisfying processabilities and manufacturing requirements of complex NiTi components,additive manufacturing technology,especially laser powder bed fusion(LPBF),is appropriate for fabricating NiTi products.This paper comprehensively summarizes recent research on the NiTi alloys fabricated by LPBF,including printability,microstructural characteristics,phase transformation behaviors,lattice structures,and applications.Process parameters and microstructural features mainly influence the printability of LPBF-processed NiTi alloys.The phase transformation behaviors between austenite and martensite phases,phase transformation temperatures,and an overview of the influencing factors are summarized in this paper.This paper provides a comprehensive review of the mechanical properties with unique strain-stress responses,which comprise tensile mechanical properties,thermomechanical properties(e.g.critical stress to induce martensitic transformation,thermo-recoverable strain,and SE strain),damping properties and hardness.Moreover,several common structures(e.g.a negative Poisson’s ratio structure and a diamond-like structure)are considered,and the corresponding studies are summarized.It illustrates the various fields of application,including biological scaffolds,shock absorbers,and driving devices.In the end,the paper concludes with the main achievements from the recent studies and puts forward the limitations and development tendencies in the future.

Investigation of the Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process of Ti-6.5Al-3.5Mo-1.5Zr-0.3Si Alloy

Laser powder bed fusion(LPBF)is an advanced manufacturing technology;however,inappropriate LPBF process parameters may cause printing defects in materials.In the present work,the LPBF process of Ti-6.5Al-3.5Mo-1.5Zr-0.3Si alloy was investigated by a two-step optimization approach.Subsequently,heat transfer and liquid flow behaviors during LPBF were simulated by a well-tested phenomenological model,and the defect formation mechanisms in the as-fabricated alloy were discussed.The optimized process parameters for LPBF were detected as laser power changed from 195 W to 210 W,with scanning speed of 1250 mm/s.The LPBF process was divided into a laser irradiation stage,a spreading flow stage,and a solidification stage.The morphologies and defects of deposited tracks were affected by liquid flow behavior caused by rapid cooling rates.The findings of this research can provide valuable support for printing defect-free metal components.

Effect of Rare Earth on Microstructure of Vacuum Melting Ni-Based Self-Fluxing Alloy Coatings

The Ni-based self-fluxing alloy coating containing RE was acquired by the technique of vacuum melting on the hypoeutectoid steel (Fe-0.45%C) matrix. By X-ray diffraction, SEM and EDX, the microstructure and phase structure of section of coating and the microstructure near the interface between coating and matrix were investigated, and the effect of RE on microstructure of coating was also discussed. The results show that the microstructure of the NiCrBSi alloy coating is composed of Ni-based solid solution and a lot of massive, globular and needle secondary phases CrB, Ni_3B, Cr_7C_3, Cr_(23)C_6 among the solid solution. The metallurgical binding between steel matrix and coating is realized. RE makes needle phase of alloy coating vanish. New phases of NiB and Cr_(6.5)Ni_(2.5)Si are precipitated from alloy coating, and secondary phases of alloy coating are sphericized. Consequently, RE also hinders the diffusion of Ni, Cr and Si atoms from coating to matrix and Fe atoms from matrix to coating, holds back the dilution of Fe for NiCrBSi alloy coating, and assures the chemical composition of the alloy coating.

Transformation mechanism of secondary phase and its effect on intergranular corrosion in laser wire filling welding Ni-based alloy/304 stainless steel

To clarify the transformation mechanism of secondary phase and the mechanism of intergranular corrosion in laser welding Ni-based alloy (Hastelloy C-276)/304 stainless steel with filler wire,the secondary phase was analyzed by electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM).The evaluation of intergranular corrosion resistance of the welded joints was conducted by double-loop electrochemical potentiokinetic reactivation(DL-EPR) method,and at the same time the chemical compositions of the corrosion surface were analyzed by energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS).The results show that p phase has complete coherence relationship withμphase,and the coherent relationship is described as[001]p//■and[430]p//[0001]μ.Theμphase is rapidly transformed from p phase,which is the inhomogeneous phase transformation.The transformation of secondary phase will increase the susceptibility to intergranular corrosion.Therefore,the transformation of secondary phase should be avoided in the welding process.

Microstructure and Wear Resistance of in situ NbC Particles Reinforced Ni-based Alloy Composite Coating by Laser Cladding

The in situ synthesized NbC particles reinforced Ni-based alloy composite coating was produced by laser cladding a precursor mixture of Ni-based alloy powder, graphite and niobium powders on a steel substrate. The microstructure, phase composition and wear property of the composite coating were investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy （SEM）, X-ray diffraction （XRD） and dry sliding wear test. The experiment results show that the composite coating is homogeneous and free from cracks, and about 0.8 mm thick. The microstructure of the composite coating is mainly composed of NbC particles, CrB type chromium borides, 7-Ni primary dendrites, and interdendritic eutectics. CrB phases often nucleate and grow on the surface of NbC particles or in their close vicinity. NbC particles are formed via in situ reaction between niobium and graphite in the molten pool during the laser cladding process and they are commonly precipitated in three kinds of morphologies, such as quadrangle, cluster, and flower-like shape. Compared with the pure Ni- based alloy coating, the microhardness of the composite coating is increased about 38%, giving a high average hardness of HV0.21000, and the wear rate of the composite coating is decreased by about 32%, respectively. These are attributed to the presence of in situ synthesized NbC particles and their well distribution in the coating.

Transient liquid phase bonding of DD5 superalloy using a designed interlayer: microstructure and mechanical properties

Nickel based single crystal superalloy is currently widely used as the material for turbine blades in aerospace engines.However,metallurgical defects during the manufacturing process and damage during harsh environmental service are inevitable challenges for turbine blades.Therefore,bonding techniques play a very important role in the manufacturing and repair of turbine blades.The transient liquid phase(TLP)bonding of DD5 Ni-based single crystal superalloy was performed using the designed H1 interlayer.A new third-generation Ni-based superalloy T1 powder was mixed with H1 powder as another interlayer to improve the mechanical properties of the bonded joints.The res-ults show that,such a designed H1 interlayer is beneficial to the improvement of shear strength of DD5 alloy bonded joints by adjusting the bonding temperature and the prolongation of holding time.The maximum shear strength at room temperature of the joint with H1 interlayer reached 681 MPa when bonded at 1260℃for 3 h.The addition of T1 powder can effectively reduce holding time or relatively lower bond-ing temperature,while maintaining relatively high shear strength.When 1 wt.%T1 powder was mixed into H1 interlayer,the maximum room temperature shear strength of the joint bonded at 1260℃reached 641 MPa,which could be obtained for only 1 h.Considering the bonding temperature and the efficiency,the acceptable process parameter of H1+5 wt.%T1 interlayer was 1240℃/2 h,and the room tem-perature shear strength reached 613 MPa.

GRAIN REFINEMENT IN BULK UNDERCOOLED Ni-BASED ALLOY

Fluxing of 5 g bulk melt Ni77Si13B10 permits high undercoolings to be attained prior to nu-cleation onset.Investigations of grain refinement in the bulk undercooled alloy as a function ofundercooling,recalescence behavior and cooling rate have been reported.A significant inhomo-geneity of reduction in grain size of a bulk sample is observed,which is caused by the different so-lidification conditions:(1)recalescence process,and(2)the followed plateau in which the heatrelease and extraction rates are equal.It is concluded that the homogeneous refined microstructurecan be achieved if the initial undercooling prior to nucleation,or cooling rate after recalescence isfurther increased.

Fabrication of in-situ synthesized ceramic reinforced Ni-based alloy composite coatings by reactive braze coating processing

In-situ synthesized ceramic such as TiC,Cr7C3 and Cr5B3 reinforced Ni-based alloy composite coating was fabricated on the surface of mild steel substrate by reactive braze coating processing with colloidal graphite,Cr,Ni,ferro-boron,Si and titanium powders as the raw materials at low temperature of 1000℃,and a new kind of coating materials was developed.By means of SEM,EDS,XRD and surface hardness tester,the microstructures,phases,hardness and wear-resistance of the coating were analyzed,respectively.The results revealed that the coating was mainly composed of the ceramic in-situ synthesized reinforcement phases of TiC,Cr7C3 and Cr5B3 and the binder phases in-situ synthesized of Ni31Si12 and(Ni,Fe)solid solution;The ceramic reinforcement phases of TiC,Cr7C3 and Cr5B3 were randomly distributed in the binder phases of Ni31Si12 and(Ni,Fe)solid solution;The coating had about 15vol%pores and can possibly be applied as a self-lubrication coating;The coating and the substrate were integrated together by metallurgical bonding;The coating had a hardness up to 91-94HR15N.