Laser Powder Bed Fusion in-situ alloying of Ti-5%Cu alloy: Process-structure relationships

• Published in: Journal of alloys and compounds 2021-03, Vol.857, p.157558, Article 157558
• Main Authors: Mosallanejad, M.H., Niroumand, B., Aversa, A., Manfredi, D., Saboori, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Additive manufacturing; Alloy powders; Cooling rate; Copper; Crystallites; Flux density; In-situ alloying; Isotropy; Laser powder bed fusion; Melt pools; Melting; Powder beds; Thermophysical properties; Ti-Cu alloy; Titanium base alloys
• ISSN: 0925-8388; 1873-4669
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jallcom.2020.157558

Additive manufacturing has emerged as a promising method for developing new Ti-based alloys. However, very few works have been dedicated to the in-situ synthesis of Ti-Cu alloys using Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) method. The current work investigates the correlations between the volumetric energy density (VED) and some structural features of the in-situ Ti-5 wt.% Cu alloys produced by LPBF of the elemental powders. The results highlighted the importance of selecting the size of constituents in accordance with their thermophysical properties. It was also shown that crystallite size and lattice distortion of the α phase increased with increasing the VED. These were attributed to the higher temperature and lower cooling rate of the melt pools as well as improved particles melting and copper dissolution in the titanium lattice at higher VEDs. Isotropy of the microstructure was also improved at higher VEDs. [Display omitted] •In-situ Ti-5%Cu alloy was produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion of elemental powders.•Correlations between Volumetric Energy Density and microstructures were investigated.•Crystallite size and lattice distortion of α phase increased with increasing VED.•Isotropy of the microstructure was improved at higher VEDs.•Constituents size must be chosen in accordance with their thermophysical properties.