Effectsof ProcessParameterson the Forming Quality and Microstructure Evolution of Ti-22Al-25Nb Alloy Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting
Author of the article:QIU Shengsheng1,2,WANG Huiqin2,YAN Longwei2
Author's Workplace:1. Luzhou Hanfei Aerospace Technology Development Co., Ltd., Luzhou 646000,China; 2. State Key Laboratory of Solidification Processing, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072,China
Key Words:selective laser melting; Ti2AlNb alloy; volumetric energy density; microstructure; microhardness
Abstract:
On the basis of the aerospace industry's demand for lightweight and high-strength Ti2AlNb-based alloys, a Ti-22Al-25Nb alloy was fabricated using selective laser melting (SLM) technology. The effects of laser power, scanning speed, and volumetric energy density (VED) on the forming quality, microstructure, and microhardness of the as-printed alloy were systematically investigated. The results show that the forming quality of the alloy is significantly controlled by the volumetric energy density. When the VED ranges from 38.89 to 138.89 J/mm3,the melt pool exhibits good stability and maximum density; however, both excessively low VED (<31.75 J/mm3)and excessively high VED (>250 J/mm3)induce a lack of fusion defects and keyhole porosity, respectively. The as-printed alloy exhibits a typical columnar grain structure with epitaxial growth along the build direction. High energy density promotes grain coarsening and results in the formation of a pronounced <001> fibrous texture, whereas the extremely rapid cooling rate at low energy density suppresses grain growth, resulting in fine, fragmented columnar grains with a random orientation. Finally, microhardness measurements of the alloys produced under different process parameters reveal a hardness distribution ranging from 242 to 267 HV. The ,hardness evolution is jointly influenced by density and grain size; fine-grained strengthening at medium-low energy density effectively compensates for the performance loss caused by porosity, whereas grain coarsening under excessive heat input leads to a decrease in hardness.