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Investigation of Solidification and Precipitation Behavior of Si-Modified 7075 Aluminum Alloy Fabricated by Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion

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Abstract

Fabrication of high strength aluminum alloys using laser-based powder bed fusion (L-PBF) encounters challenges, including the occurrence of solidification cracks and the loss of volatile elements, such as Zn and Mg. The current work developed a Si-modified Al7075 alloy aiming at introducing eutectic phases to mitigate the solidification cracking during L-PBF. Based on Kou’s model, the addition of Zn and Mg decreased the crack susceptibility from 6504 °C to 5966 °C, and the addition of 3.74 wt pct of Si further decreased the crack susceptibility to 3960 °C. The Al7075 alloy fabricated by L-PBF exhibited a large amount of solidification cracks extending throughout the sample. Crack-free samples with a relative density of 99.94 pct, as inspected by X-ray microcomputed tomography, were achieved for the developed Si-modified Al7075 alloy. The microstructure showed a transition from a coarse columnar microstructure to a refined mixed columnar + equiaxed microstructure after alloy modification, with a concomitant grain size reduction from 59.0 ± 42.2 to 15.0 ± 9.4 µm. Moreover, Si, Mg2Si, and Al2Cu phases were detected in the Si-modified Al7075 alloy. After a direct ageing heat treatment, the Si-modified Al7075 alloy showed minimal age hardening effect with a peak hardness of (146 ± 3 Hv).

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Acknowledgments

This work was funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Clean Sky 2 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 755610, project AlForAMA. The authors acknowledge the support from the topic manager, Leonardo Aircraft. L-PBF experiments were conducted thanks to the KU Leuven funding under contract number GOA/15/012 - Sustainable Material Processing in Manufacturing. The X-ray computed tomography facilities of KU Leuven is acknowledged for the X-ray µ-CT inspections. G. Li wishes to thank the China Scholarship Council (Grant No. 201706220083) for financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Materials Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 44, 3001, Heverlee, Belgium

    Guichuan Li, Suraj Dinkar Jadhav, Maria L. Montero-Sistiaga, Jeroen Soete & Kim Vanmeensel

  2. IMDEA Materials Institute, C/Eric Kandel 2, 28906, Getafe, Madrid, Spain

    Arturo Martín & Carmen M. Cepeda-Jiménez

  3. IK4 LORTEK Technological Centre, Arranomendia 4A, 20240, Ordizia, Spain

    Maria San Sebastian

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  1. Guichuan Li
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Correspondence to Guichuan Li.

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Manuscript submitted May 5, 2020; accepted October 17, 2020.

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Li, G., Jadhav, S.D., Martín, A. et al. Investigation of Solidification and Precipitation Behavior of Si-Modified 7075 Aluminum Alloy Fabricated by Laser-Based Powder Bed Fusion. Metall Mater Trans A 52, 194–210 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11661-020-06073-9

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