Rapid fabrication of Al-based bulk-form nanocomposites with novel reinforcement and enhanced performance by selective laser melting

• DOI: 10.1016/j.scriptamat.2014.10.011
• Publication Date: 2014-10-31T00:01:55Z
• Authors: Dongdong Gu; Hongqiao Wang; Donghua Dai; Pengpeng Yuan; Wilhelm Meiners; Reinhart Poprawe
• Keywords: 0203 mechanical engineering; 02 engineering and technology

A novel ring-structured nanoscale TiC reinforcement with a regular distribution was tailored along the grain boundaries of the matrix by selective laser melting (SLM) to produce TiC/AlSi10 Mg nanocomposite parts. Relative to the SLM-processed unreinforced AlSi10 Mg part, the TiC/AlSi10 Mg nanocomposite part with the novel reinforcement architecture exhibited elevated microhardness (188.3 HV0.1) and tensile strength (486 MPa) without a reduction in elongation (10.9%), due to the combined effects of grain refinement and grain boundary strengthening caused by the ring-structured nanoscale TiC reinforcement.