Near-threshold fatigue crack growth in laser powder bed fusion produced alloy 718

The role of microstructure in influencing fatigue crack growth behavior for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) produced nickel superalloy 718 was examined. Two common post-build heat treatments were applied to produce two distinct microstructures, one which retained much of the solidification structure from additive manufacturing, while the other was mostly recrystallized. For both groups, residual stresses were assessed along the crack path by neutron diffraction. At low load ratios (R = 0.1), the non-recrystallized LPBF material had the lowest and most varied fatigue crack growth thresholds at 6–7.2 MPa m1/2. This is attributed to a reduction in crack path roughness induced crack closure and high superimposed residual stresses. The recrystallizing heat treatment coarsened and homogenized the grain structure substantially, thus increasing the threshold to 7.3–7.6 MPa m1/2 due to a substantially rougher crack path and completely relieved residual stresses. Both LPBF heat treatments showed negligible effect of build orientation and gave significantly lower fatigue thresholds compared to wrought material tested in the L-T orientation (∼11 MPa m1/2). At high load ratios, the difference in fatigue behavior between microstructures was reduced but still present and was attributed to differences in geometric shielding from crack path roughness, grain size, and degree of microstructural homogeneity

Fatigue crack growth behavior of laser powder bed fusion additive manufactured Ti-6Al-4V: Roles of post heat treatment and build orientation

Effects of build orientation (0°, 45°, 90°) and post heat treatments (hot isostatic pressing 820 °C, 950 °C or annealing 1020 °C) on the fatigue crack growth rates (FCGRs) of Ti-6Al-4V fabricated by laser powder bed fusion were examined. Coarser α′/α lath thicknesses resulted in slower FCGRs and higher fatigue thresholds while texture and build orientation had little influence. Fatigue thresholds were defined by the ability to transfer slip from one α′/α lath to another, with a minor role of roughness induced crack closure. The transition away from microstructure sensitive FCG occurred where the packet/colony size equaled the cyclic plastic zone size

Structural periodicity in laser additive manufactured Zr-based bulk metallic glass

Additive manufacturing of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) allows for effective bypassing of critical casting thickness constraints for glassy alloys, opening up this exciting material class to new applications. An open question is how the laser processing of such materials affects the short-range structural order, a critical mediating parameter for glass deformation. Synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction was used to understand structural heterogeneity across the build-planes of a selective laser melted Zr-based BMG. While negligible macroscopic heterogeneity in the structure was observed over a 10 mm build height for the X-ray amorphous material, small periodic variations were observed on the order of 40-80 μm. This dimensional scale was rationalized as a consequence of melt-pool solidification from laser processing, which imparts a calculated local strain variation of ±0.1%. It is anticipated that this structural insight will help to rationalize microscale deformation effects from the periodic structural variation of selective laser melting produced BMGs

Fracture and fatigue behaviour of a laser additive manufactured Zr-based bulk metallic glass

Laser additive manufacturing of bulk metallic glass (BMG) provides an effective bypassing of the critical casting thickness constraints that limit the size of components that can be produced; however, open questions remain regarding the resulting mechanical properties. In this work, a Zr-based BMG known as AMZ4 with composition Zr$_{59.3}$Cu$_{28.8}$Nb$_{1.5}$Al$_{10.4}$ was printed using a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technique. Micro X-ray computed tomography results together with electron microscopy imaging revealed porous processing defects in LPBF produced AMZ4 that led to a loss in tensile strength. Fatigue crack growth studies revealed a fatigue threshold, $ΔK_{th}$., of ∼1.33 MPa√m and a Paris law exponent of m = 1.14, which are relatively low values for metallic materials. A K$_{IC}$ fracture toughness of 24−29 MPa√m was found for the LPBF BMG samples, which is much lower than the K$_Q$ of 97−138 MPa√m and K$_{JIC}$ of 158−253 MPa√m measured for the cast alloy with the same composition. The lower fracture toughness of the laser processed AMZ4 was attributed to ∼7.5× higher dissolved oxygen in the structure when compared to the cast AMZ4. Despite the higher level of oxygen, the formation of oxide nanocrystals was not observed by transmission electron microscopy. Oxygen induced toughness loss was confirmed by dissolving elevated concentrations of oxygen into cast AMZ4 rods, which led to a reduction in bending ductility and changes in the short-range order of the glass structure, as revealed by synchrotron X-ray diffraction

Structural periodicity in laser additive manufactured Zr-based bulk metallic glass

Additive manufacturing of bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) allows for effective bypassing of critical casting thickness constraints for glassyalloys, opening up this exciting material class to new applications. An open question is how the laser processing of such materials affects theshort-range structural order, a critical mediating parameter for glass deformation. Synchrotron X-ray microdiffraction was used to under-stand structural heterogeneity across the build-planes of a selective laser melted Zr-based BMG. While negligible macroscopic heterogeneityin the structure was observed over a 10 mm build height for the X-ray amorphous material, small periodic variations were observed on theorder of 40–80 $\mu$m. This dimensional scale was rationalized as a consequence of melt-pool solidification from laser processing, which impartsa calculated local strain variation of $\pm$ 0.1%. It is anticipated that this structural insight will help to rationalize microscale deformation effectsfrom the periodic structural variation of selective laser melting produced BMGs

Fracture and fatigue behaviour of a laser additive manufactured Zr-based bulk metallic glass

Laser additive manufacturing of bulk metallic glass (BMG) provides an effective bypassing of the critical casting thickness constraints that limit the size of components that can be produced; however, open questions remain regarding the resulting mechanical properties. In this work, a Zr-based BMG known as AMZ4 with composition Zr59.3Cu28.8Nb1.5Al10.4 was printed using a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technique. Micro X-ray computed tomography results together with electron microscopy imaging revealed porous processing defects in LPBF produced AMZ4 that led to a loss in tensile strength. Fatigue crack growth studies revealed a fatigue threshold, ΔKth., of ∼1.33 MPa√m and a Paris law exponent of m = 1.14, which are relatively low values for metallic materials. A KIC fracture toughness of 24−29 MPa√m was found for the LPBF BMG samples, which is much lower than the KQ of 97−138 MPa√m and KJIC of 158−253 MPa√m measured for the cast alloy with the same composition. The lower fracture toughness of the laser processed AMZ4 was attributed to ∼7.5× higher dissolved oxygen in the structure when compared to the cast AMZ4. Despite the higher level of oxygen, the formation of oxide nanocrystals was not observed by transmission electron microscopy. Oxygen induced toughness loss was confirmed by dissolving elevated concentrations of oxygen into cast AMZ4 rods, which led to a reduction in bending ductility and changes in the short-range order of the glass structure, as revealed by synchrotron X-ray diffraction