Qualification of a Ni–Cu Alloy for the Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process (LPBF): Its Microstructure and Mechanical Properties

Applied Sciences

Andreas Bührig-Polaczek¹  Frank Adjei-Kyeremeh¹  Uwe Vroomen¹  Iris Raffeis¹  Sebastian Bremen²  Alexandru Hohoi³  Elmar Westhoff⁴ 

[1] Foundry Institute, RWTH Aachen University, Intzestraße 5, 52072 Aachen, Germany;Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology (ILT), Steinbachstraße 15, 52074 Aachen and FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Goethestr. 1, 52064 Aachen, Germany;Oerlikon AM GmbH, Kapellenstraße 12, 85622 Feldkirchen, Germany;Otto Junker GmbH, Jägerhausstr. 22, 52152 Simmerath, Germany;

关键词: additive manufacturing;    LPBF;    as-built;    as-cast;    microstructure;    microhardness;   

DOI  :  10.3390/app10103401

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

As researchers continue to seek the expansion of the material base for additive manufacturing, there is a need to focus attention on the Ni–Cu group of alloys which conventionally has wide industrial applications. In this work, the G-NiCu30Nb casting alloy, a variant of the Monel family of alloys with Nb and high Si content is, for the first time, processed via the laser powder bed fusion process (LPBF). Being novel to the LPBF processes, optimum LPBF parameters were determined, and hardness and tensile tests were performed in as-built conditions and after heat treatment at 1000 °C. Microstructures of the as-cast and the as-built condition were compared. Highly dense samples (99.8% density) were achieved after varying hatch distance (80 µm and 140 µm) with scanning speed (550 mm/s–1500 mm/s). There was no significant difference in microhardness between varied hatch distance print sets. Microhardness of the as-built condition (247 HV_0.2) exceeded the as-cast microhardness (179 HV_0.2.). Tensile specimens built in vertical (V) and horizontal (H) orientations revealed degrees of anisotropy and were superior to conventionally reported figures. Post heat treatment increased ductility from 20% to 31% (V), as well as from 16% to 25% (H), while ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and yield strength (YS) were considerably reduced.

【 授权许可】

Unknown