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.

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 powdered activated carbon on Chinese traditional medicine wastewater treatment in submerged membrane bioreactor with electronic control backwashing

Chinese traditional medicine wastewater, rich in macromolecule and easy to foam in aerobic biodegradation such as Glycosides, was treated by two identical bench-scale aerobic submerged membrane bioreactors （SMBRs） operated in parallel under the same feed, equipped with the same electronic control backwashing device. One was used as the control SMBR （CSMBR） while the other was dosed with powdered activated carbon （PAC） （PAC-amended SMBR, PSMBR）. The backwashing interval was 5 min. One suction period was about 90 min by adjusting preestablished backwashing vacuum and pump frequency. The average flux of CSMBR during a steady periodic state of 24 d （576 h） was 5.87 L/h with average hydraulic residence time （HRT） of 5.97 h and that of PSMBR during a steady periodic state of 30 d （720 h） was 5.85 L/h with average HRT of 5.99 h. The average total chemical oxygen demand （COD） removal efficiency of CSMBR was 89.29% with average organic loading rate （OLR） at 4.16 kg COD/（m^3.d） while that of PSMBR was 89.79% with average OLR at 5.50 kg COD/（m^3.d）. COD concentration in the effluent of both SMBRs achieved the second level of the general wastewater effluent standard GB8978-1996 for the raw medicine material industry （300 mg/L）. Hence, SMBR with electronic control backwashing was a viable process for medium-strength Chinese traditional medicine wastewater treatment. Moreover, the increasing rates of preestablished backwashing vacuum, pump frequency, and vacuum and flux loss caused by mixed liquor in PSMBR all lagged compared to those in CSMBR; thus the actual operating time of the PSMBR system without membrane cleaning was extended by up to 1.25 times in contrast with the CSMBR system, and the average total COD removal efficiency of PSMBR was enhanced with higher average OLR.

Effects of heat treatment conditions and Y-doping on structure and phase transition temperature of VO2 powders

The VO2 powders were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis.The effects of heat treatment conditions and Y-doping on the structure and phase transition temperature of VO2 were studied.The XRD,SEM and TEM results show that the heat treatment temperature has a significant effect on the crystal transformation of VO2 precursor.Increasing temperature is conducive to the transformation of precursor VO2(B)to ultrafine VO2(M).The Y-doping affects the structure of VO2.Y^3+can occupy the lattice position of V4+to form YVO4 solid solution,which can increase the cell parameters of VO2.Due to the lattice deformation caused by Y-doping,the aggregation of particles is prevented,and the grain is refined obviously.DSC curves show that Y-doping can reduce the phase transition temperature of VO2(M).After adding 9 at.%Y,the phase transition temperature can be reduced from 68.3 to 61.3℃.

Effects of heat treatment on the properties of powder injection molded AlN ceramics

The effects of two different heat-treatment atmospheres,nitrogen atmosphere and reducing nitrogen atmosphere with carbon,on the properties of Y2O3-doped aluminum nitride（AlN） ceramics were investigated.The AlN powder as a raw material was synthesized by self-propagating high-temperature synthesis（SHS） and compacts were fabricated by employing powder injection molding technique.The polymer-wax binder consisted of 60 wt.% paraffin wax（PW）,35 wt.% polypropylene（PP）,and 5 wt.% stearic acid（SA）.After the removal of binder,specimens were sintered at 1850°С in nitrogen atmosphere under atmospheric pressure.To improve the thermal conductivity,sintered samples were reheated.The result reveals that the heat-treatment atmosphere has significant effect on the properties and secondary phase of AlN ceramics.The thermal conductivity and density of AlN ceramics reheated in nitrogen gas are 180 W·m^-1·K^-1 and 3.28 g·cm^-3 and the secondary phase is yttrium aluminate.For the sample reheated in reducing nitrogen atmosphere with carbon,the thermal conductivity and density are 173 W·m^-1·K^-1 and 3.23 g·cm^-3,respectively,and the secondary phase is YN.

Surface Treatment of Polypropylene Powders Using a Plasma Reactor with a Stirrer

A radio frequency argon plasma reactor with a stirrer was employed for the surface treatment of polypropylene （PP） powders. The changes in the superficial contact angle and the superficial composition of the un-treated and treated PP powders were analyzed by means of water contact angle （WCA） measurement, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy （XPS） and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy （ATR-FTIR）. The water contact angle changed from the original value of 130.2° before plasma treatment to the value of 73.6° after treatment for 5 minutes. With the increase in plasma treating time, there were a decrease in the water contact angle and an increase in the content of oxygen containing polar functional groups （i.e., C-O, C=O and O-C=O）. Both XPS and ATR-FTIR results indicated that the plasma treatment led to the formation of oxygen containing polar functional groups due to oxidation on the surface of the PP powders, and the trend of variation of the water contact angle with plasma treating time was related to the concentration of oxygen atom on the treated PP powders surface. Furthermore, the aging of the plasma-treated PP powders was investigated.

Evaluation of Powdered Activated Carbon Treatment Process in Petrochemical Wastewater Purification

The powdered activated carbon treatment(PACT) process has been widely used in many industrial fields, however,very few PACT processes are built for petrochemical wastewater treatment in China. An industrial PACT unit launched in a petrochemical plant was introduced and evaluated from both the practice and mechanism study. Practically, the PACT process showed excellent capability in pollutants removal, shock resistance, toxicity tolerance, and the COD and ammoniumN in effluent of PACT unit assisted by PAC was equal to 15.5 mg/L and 0.7 mg/L lower than that without PAC addition,respectively. The wet oxidation regeneration unit was quite efficient in supplying regenerated PAC, and, however, the hard calcium sulphate scale and the high pollutant concentration solution needed to be carefully controlled. Moreover, although the carbon balance showed that the adsorption capability of regenerated PAC was negligible, the biological tests proved that the regenerated PAC increased microbe activity up to 17% more than pure activated sludge system, which was almost compatible with the fresh activated carbon.

Low cycle fatigue improvement of powder metallurgy titanium alloy through thermomechanical treatment

A low-cost β type Ti-1.5Fe-6.8Mo-4.8Al-1.2Nd (mass fraction, %)(T12LCC) alloy was produced by blended elemental powder metallurgy(P/M) method and subsequent thermomechanical treatment. Low cycle fatigue(LCF) behavior of P/M T12LCC alloy before and after thermomechanical treatment was studied. The results show that the LCF resistance of P/M titanium alloy is significantly enhanced through the thermomechanical treatment. The mechanisms for the improvement of LCF behavior are attributed to the elimination of residual pores, the microstructure refining and homogenization.

Achieving superior performance in powder-metallurgy near-βtitanium alloy by combining hot rolling and rapid heat treatment followed by aging

Heat treatment plays an important role in tailoring the mechanical properties of powder-metallurgy(PM)titanium alloys.However,only limited work about the rapid heat treatment(RHT)of PM titanium alloys has been reported.In this work,RHT was applied to PM Ti-5Al-5Mo-5V-1Cr-1Fe alloy after hot rolling to study the evolution of its mechanical properties and the influence of residual pores on its properties.Through hot rolling and annealing,a fine and uniformα+βstructure with few residual pores is ob-tained.During RHT,the primaryαdissolves gradually and completes in theβregion,and theβgrains then grow,resulting in the continuous decrease in elongation after aging.Moreover,the tensile strength first increases and then decreases with increasing RHT temperature,owing to the increase in volume fraction of secondaryαinα+βregion and theβgrain growth inβregion.In contrast to the RHT of cast-and-wrought titanium,the negative influence of residual pores lowers the RHT temperature for obtaining the highest tensile strength to a temperature below theβ-transus temperature.Despite the negative influence of the residual pores,retained primaryαand fineβgrains with fine secondaryαinside contribute to achieving a good strength/ductility balance(1570 MPa and 6.1%,respectively).Addi-tionally,although at higher cycles to failure,the negative influence of residual pores increases as it affects the crack initiation zone at the subsurface,the good resistance of secondaryαto fatigue crack propaga-tion still enhances the fatigue strength considerably(about 300 MPa).This work suggests a cost-effective strategy to produce titanium alloys with high performance.

Effect of Heat Treatment on Gradient Microstructure and Tensile Property of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Fabricated 15-5 Precipitation Hardening Stainless Steel

This work investigated the gradient microstructure evolution and tensile property of LPBF fabricated 15-5 precipitation hardening stainless steel in post-process direct ageing(DA)and solution treating&ageing(STA).The varied microstructures for austenite and small-sized oxide inclusions at different sample heights in the as-built(AB)condition was generally preserved after DA treatment.However,austenite was almost disappeared,and oxide particle grew significantly after the STA treatment.As a result,the tensile property differences in sample top and bottom for AB and DA conditions did not occur in the STA samples.For the influence of post-process heat treatment,the STA condition had the highest yield strength due to the highest volume fraction of nano-sized Cu precipitates.However,the DA specimen had the highest ultimate tensile strength and elongation owing to the considerable amount of austenite phase and associated transformation induced plasticity effect.

Microstructural evolution of a PM TiAl alloy during heat treatment in α+γ phase field

In this study, the effect of temperatures and cooling rates of heat treatment on the microstructure of a powder metallurgy (PM) Ti-46Al-2Cr-2Nb-(B,W) (at.%) alloy was studied. Depending on the cooling rate and temperature, the different structures were obtained from the initial near-γ (NG) microstructures by heat treatment in the α+γ field. The results show that the microstructures of samples after furnace cooling (FC) consist primarily of equiaxed γ and α 2 grains, with a few grains containing lamellae. Duplex microstructures consist mainly of γ grains and lamellar colonies were obtained in the quenching into another furnace at 900°C (QFC) samples. However, further increasing of the cooling rate to air cooling (AC) induces the transformation of α→α_2 and results in a microstructure with equiaxed γ and α_2 grains, and no lamellar colonies are found.

Effect of oxygen content and heat treatment on carbide precipitation behavior in PM Ni-base superalloys

The influence of oxygen content and heat treatment on the evolution of carbides in a powder metallurgy （PM） Ni-base superalloy was characterized. The results reveal that oxygen content has little influence on the precipitation of carbides inside the particles. However, under the consolidated state, stable Ti oxides on the particle surface act as nuclei for the precipitation of prior particle boundaries （PPB）. Also, oxygen can diffuse internally along grain boundaries under compressive stress, which favors the precipitation of carbides inside the particles. Therefore, a higher amount of carbides will appear with more oxygen content in the case of consolidated alloys. It is also observed that PPB can be disrupted into discontinuous particles at 1200℃, but this carbide network is hard to be eliminated completely. The combined MC-M23C6 morphology approves the nucleation and growth mechanism of carbide evolution.

Heat treatment effects on the metastable microstructure,mechanical property and corrosion behavior of Al-added CoCrFeMnNi alloys fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

With the development of aerospace and transportation,high-strength structural materials manufactured by additive manufacturing techniques get more attention,which allows the production of counterparts with complex structures.This work investigates Al-added CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloys(Al-HEAs)pre-pared by laser powder bed fusion(PBF-LB),adding 4.4 wt.%Al reducing approximately 7%density.The contribution of post-heat-treatment to microstructure,mechanical properties,and corrosion behaviors are explored.Hot cracking along with grain boundaries in the as-built PBF-LB Al-HEAs is determined,which comes from the residual liquid film as a larger solidification temperature range by adding Al.The PBF-LB Al-HEAs mainly consist of a face-centered cubic(FCC)matrix with Al/Ni/Mn decorated dislocation cells therein and a minor body-centered cubic(BCC)phase.Upon 850℃ annealing treatment,massive BCC phases(ordered NiAl and disordered Cr-rich precipitates)generate at the dislocation cell/grain bound-aries and the dislocation cells are still retained.However,the volume fraction of BCC phases and the dislocation cells vanish after 1150℃ solution treatment.As a result,Al-HEA850 shows an over 1000 MPa yield strength with nearly no ductility(<3%);the Al-HEA1150 exhibits considerable strength-ductility properties.Meanwhile,the Al-HEA850 demonstrates the worst pitting corrosion resistance due to the preferential dissolution of the NiAl precipitates in chloride-containing solutions.After comparatively de-liberating the evolution of strength-ductility and localized corrosion,we built a framework about the effects of the heat treatment on the mechanical property and degradation behavior in additively manu-factured Al-added high-strength HEAs.

Two-stage aging treatment to accelerate aging kinetics without impairing strength in B_4C/7A04Al composite

Aging treatments are the key process to obtain satisfactory strength for 7xxxAl alloys and their composites. However, traditional single-stage(SS) aging is time-consuming to reach a peak strength condition. In this study, an efficient 120℃ + 160℃ two-stage(TS) aging treatment was proposed on a B_4C/7A04Al composite fabricated via powder metallurgy(PM) technology, which could acquire similar peak-aging strength but only took about 15% of the time compared to traditional 120℃ SS aging. The evolution of precipitation during the TS aging was investigated, as well as those of the 7A04Al alloys for comparison. In the second stage aging process, the higher aging temperature accelerated the nucleation of η′ phases inside the grains and thus increased the density of precipitates. Moreover, the short aging time limited the coarsening of precipitates and the broadening of precipitatefree zones. The above factors were beneficial for quickly obtaining satisfactory precipitation strengthening effects. The B_4C/7A04Al composite exhibited slower aging kinetics than the 7A04Al alloy in the TS aging. Mg elements consumption by the chemical reaction between B impurities introduced by B_4C particles and the Al matrix was considered to potentially retard the aging kinetics of the B_4C/7A04Al composite. Nevertheless, the precipitation sequence was not affected.

Effect of Heat Treatments on Tribology Property of Ti6Al4V Alloy Under Dry Friction

Ti6Al4V alloy manufactured by electron powder bed fusion(EPBF)was separately heat-treated by stress-relief annealing at 600℃,annealing at 800℃,and solid solution at 920℃ for 1 h.Then,the friction and wear tests were conducted on the samples before and after heat treatment to analyze the properties and mechanism of friction and wear behavior.Results show that the sample annealed at 600℃ for 1 h has the optimal wear resistance,and the wear mass loss reduces by 44%.The sample annealed at 800℃ for 1 h possesses the optimal anti-friction performance,and the coefficient of friction reduces by 14%.This research provides a simple heat treatment method to improve the friction and wear resistance of Ti6Al4V alloy manufactured by EPBF.

Improvement of Surface Mechanical and Tribological Characteristics of L-PBF Processed Commercially Pure Titanium through Ultrasonic Impact Treatment

Multi-pass ultrasonic impact treatment(UIT)was applied to modify the microstructure and improve the mechanical and tribological characteristics at the near-surface region of commercially pure Ti(CP-Ti)specimens produced by the laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF)method.UIT considerably refined the L-PBF process-related acicular martensites(α′-M)and produced a well-homogenized and dense surface microstructure,where the porosity content of 1-,3-,and 5-pass UITed samples was reduced by 43,60,and 67%,respectively.The UITed samples showed an enhancement in their near-surface mechanical properties up to a depth of about 300μm.The nanoindentation results for the 3-pass UITed sample revealed an increase of about 53,45,and 220%in its nanohardness,H/E_(r),and H_(3)/E_(r)^(2)indices,respectively.The stylus profilometry results showed that performing the UIT removed the L-PBF-related features/defects and offered a smooth surface.The roughness average(R_(a))and the skewness(R_(sk))of the 3-pass UITed sample were found to be lower than those of the L-PBFed sample by 95 and 223%,respectively.Applying the UIT also enhanced the material ratio,where the maximum load-bearing capacity(~100%)in as-L-PBFed(as-built)and 3-pass UITed samples was obtained at 60-and 10-µm depths,respectively.The tribological investigations showed that applying the UIT resulted in a significant reduction of wear rate and average coefficient of friction(COF)of CP-Ti.For instance,under the normal pressures of 0.05 and 0.2 MPa,the wear rate and COF of the 3-pass UITed sample were lower than those of the L-PBFed sample by 65 and 58%,and 20 and 17%,respectively.

Effect of Dendrobium nobile powder combined with conventional therapy on mild to moderate fatty liver

BACKGROUND Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)encompasses a variety of liver conditions impacting individuals who consume minimal or no alcohol.Recently,traditional Chinese medicine has been gradually used to treat mild to moderate fatty liver,among which Dendrobium nobile Lindl.powder has been affirmed by many doctors and patients to be effective.However,there is limited research on combining this treatment with standard therapies for mild to moderate NAFLD.AIM To survey the effect of combining Dendrobium nobile Lindl.powder with standard treatment on liver function and lipid metabolism disorder in patients with mild to moderate NAFLD.METHODS Eighty patients with mild to moderate NAFLD participated in this retrospective study,classified into two groups:The observation group(n=40)and the control group(n=40).In November 2020 and November 2022,the study was conducted at People’s Hospital of Chongqing Liang Jiang New Area.The control group received standard treatment,while the observation group received Dendrobium nobile Lindl.powder based on the control group.The study compared differences in traditional Chinese medicine clinical syndrome scores,liver fibrosis treatment,liver function indicators,lipid levels,and serum inflammatory factor levels before and after treatment,and we calculated the incidence of adverse reactions for both groups.RESULTS The total effective rate was 97.50%in the observation group and 72.5%in the control group.After 8 weeks of treatment,the main and secondary symptom scores remarkably decreased,especially in the observation group(P<0.05),and there was a significant reduction in the serum levels of hyaluronic acid(HA),laminin(LN),human rocollagen III(PC III),and collagen type IV(CIV).The levels of HA,LN,PC III,and CIV were significantly lower in the observation group(P<0.05).After 8 weeks,both groups indicated remarkable improvements in liver function and blood lipid levels,with the observation group having even lower levels(P<0.05).Serum levels of interleukin-1β,tumor necrosis factor-α,and interleukin-8 also dropped significantly.The observation group had a lower rate of adverse reactions(5.00%)compared to the control group(22.50%).CONCLUSION Adding Dendrobium nobile Lindl.powder to standard treatment has been found to remarkably improve symptoms and reduce inflammation in patients with mild to moderate fatty liver disease.It also enhances hepatic function and lipid profile,ameliorates liver fibrosis indices,and lowers the risk of side effects.Consequently,this therapeutic protocol shows promise for clinical implementation and dissemination.

Hexavalent Chromium Cr (VI) Removal from Water by Mango Kernel Powder

Metal trace elements (MTE) are among the most harmful micropollutants of natural waters. Eliminating them helps improve the quality and safety of drinking water and protect human health. In this work, we used mango kernel powder (MKP) as bioadsorbent material for removal of Cr (VI) from water. Uv-visible spectroscopy was used to monitor and quantify Cr (VI) during processing using the Beer-Lambert formula. Some parameters such as pH, mango powder, mass and contact time were optimized to determine adsorption capacity and chromium removal rate. Adsorption kinetics, equilibrium, isotherms and thermodynamic parameters such as ΔG˚, ΔH˚, and ΔS˚, as well as FTIR were studied to better understand the Cr (VI) removal process by MKP. The adsorption capacity reached 94.87 mg/g, for an optimal contact time of 30 min at 298 K. The obtained results are in accordance with a pseudo-second order Freundlich adsorption isotherm model. Finally FTIR was used to monitor the evolution of absorption bands, while Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) were used to evaluate surface properties and morphology of the adsorbent.

Effectiveness and Safety of Umbilicus Treatment with Modified Dinggui Powder(加味丁桂散)in Patients with Chronic Nonbacterial Prostatitis:A Randomized,Double-Blind,Placebo-Controlled Clinical Trial

Objective:To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal external umbilicus treatment with Modified Dinggui Powder(加味丁桂散,MDGP)in patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis(CNP).Methods:A randomized,double-blind,placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted among 72 patients with CNP.Participants were randomly allocated to a treatment group and a placebo group using computer software in a 1:1 ratio,and received either MDGP external umbilicus treatment(MDGP group,36 cases)or placebo(control group,36 cases)at acupoints Shenque(CV 8),twice a week for 4 weeks.In addtion,patients all received herbal medicine treatment twice a day for 4 weeks.The primary outcome was the US National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Scores Index(NIH-CPSI)with a questionnaire at weeks 2 and 4.The secondary outcomes including prostatic fluid examination(white blood cells and lecithin bodies),the clinical efficacy evaluation,and the adverse events were also assessed during the entire trial.Results:The NIH-CPSI scores regarding pain or discomfort scores showed greater improvement in the MDGP group than placebo control group at weeks 2(P=0.001)and week 4(P=0.004),respectively.NIH-CPSI scores of symptom severity,total scores and leukocytes number in the prostatic fluid in the MDGP group were significantly improved(P<0.05).There was no statistical difference in the urinary symptoms,quality of life,lecithin and other scores between two groups(P>0.05).The clinical effective rate was 73.53%(25/34)in the MDGP group,which was significally higher than the placebo control group with 48.39%(25/31,P<0.05).Patients were blinded successfully,and no serious adverse effects were found during the trial.Conclusion:A 4-week course of umbilicus treatment with modified Dinggui Powder seems to relieve pain and symptom severity effectively and increase the amount of leukocytes number in patients with CNP(Trial registration No.ChiCTRI 800014687).

Effect of solution heat treatment and hot isostatic pressing on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Hastelloy X manufactured by electron beam powder bed fusion

Prior to the application of AM components for critical applications,it is necessary to have a better understanding of the effect of different post-fabrication treatments on the microstructure and mechanical properties of such parts.In this study,efforts were made to achieve an in-depth understanding of the effect of post-fabrication Solution Heat Treatment(SHT)and Hot Isostatic Pressing(HIP)on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Hastelloy X parts built by electron beam powder bed fusion(PBF-EB)process.The effects of SHT and HIP on porosity,microstructure,texture and mechanical properties have been investigated and compared with that of as-built PBF-EB Hastelloy X.Post-fabrication HIP treatment led to a significant reduction in the porosity content,whereas no notable difference in porosity was observed between SHT and as-built parts.There was no evidence of any recrystallization occurring following the post-fabrication treatments as elongated columnar grain structures observed within as-built part were found to be maintained even after SHT and HIP process alongside the strong<100>crystallographic texture.Emphasis was laid upon understanding the influence of SHT and HIP on mechanical properties through stress-strain curves and work-hardening behaviour.