Selective laser melting of Al-Cu-Fe based alloys using elemental powder blends

Editorial Board PCSS Journal; Ihor Shtablavyi; Yuri Kulyk; Andrii Pauk; Nazar Popilovskyi; Maryna Yatsevych; Stepan Mudry

doi:10.15330/pcss.27.1.144-151

Authors

Ihor Shtablavyi Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
Yuri Kulyk Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
Andrii Pauk Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
Nazar Popilovskyi Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
Maryna Yatsevych Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine
Stepan Mudry Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv, Ukraine

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15330/pcss.27.1.144-151

Keywords:

additive manufacturing, selective laser melting, aluminium alloys, quasicrystals, electron microscopy

Abstract

In this work, the conditions for obtaining the Al₆₃Cu₂₅Fe₁₂ alloy from a mixture of elemental powders by selective laser melting were investigated. In addition to directly synthesizing the alloy using the mentioned method, the aim of this work was also to identify the conditions for the formation of quasi-crystalline phases, which have special mechanical properties. Selective laser melting was performed at different powers and geometries of laser irradiation in air and in vacuum. Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray phase analysis methods were used to study the prepared alloys. It has been shown that, in addition to the generally accepted modes of laser alloy synthesis, focusing the laser beam on the surface of the samples plays an important role in this process.

References

N. Kang, P. Coddet, L Dembinski, H. Liao, Ch. Coddet, Microstructure and strength analysis of eutectic Al-Si alloy in-situ manufactured using selective laser melting from elemental powder mixture, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 691, 316 (2017); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2016.08.249.

J. A Glerum, Ch. Kenel, T. Sun, D. C. Dunand, Synthesis of precipitation-strengthened Al-Sc, Al-Zr and Al-Sc-Zr alloys via selective laser melting of elemental powder blends, Additive Manufacturing, 36, 101461 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addma.2020.101461.

M. Fischer, D. Joguet, G. Robin, L. Peltier, P. Laheurte. In situ elaboration of a binary Ti–26Nb alloy by selective laser melting of elemental titanium and niobium mixed powders, Materials Science and Engineering: C, 62, 852 (2016); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msec.2016.02.033.

V. Raghavan, Al-Cu-Fe (Aluminum-Copper-Iron), Journal of Phase Equilibria and Diffusion, 26, 59 (2005); https://doi.org/10.1007/s11669-005-0061-0.

Lilong Zhu, Sujeily Soto-Medina, Wesley Cuadrado-Castillo, Richard G. Hennig, Michele V. Manuel, New experimental studies on the phase diagram of the Al-Cu-Fe quasicrystal-forming system, Materials & Design, 185, 108186 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2019.108186.

Hai-Lin Chen, Yong Du, Honghui Xu, and Wei Xiong, Experimental investigation and thermodynamic modeling of the ternary Al–Cu–Fe system, J. Mater. Res., 24 (10), 3154 (2009); https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2009.0376.

D. Holland-moritz, J. Schroers, D. M. Herlach, B. Grushko and K. Urban, Undercooling and solidification behaviour of melts of the quasicrystal-forming alloys Al–Cu–Fe and Al–Cu–Co, Acta mater, 46 (5), 1601 (1998); https://doi.org/10.1016/s1359-6454(97)00341-8.

S.M. Lee, H.J. Jeon, B.H. Kim, W.T. Kim, D.H. Kim, Solidification sequence of the icosahedral quasicrystal forming Al–Cu–Fe alloys, Materials Science and Engineering A, 304–306, 871 (2001); https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-5093(00)01625-7.

Felipe Escher Saldanha, Jaderson Rodrigo da Silva Leal, Jos´e Eduardo Spinelli, Guilherme Lisboa de Gouveia, Microstructural evolution and intermetallic formation in as-cast Al-5 % Cu-1.2 %Fe and Al-5 %Cu-1.2 %Fe-1 %Ni: A solidification path variation induced by Ni, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 1039, 183280 (2025); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2025.183280.

M.A. Suárez, R. Esquivel, J. Alcántara, H. Dorantes, J.F. Chávez, Effect of chemical composition on the microstructure and hardness of Al–Cu–Fe alloy, Materials Characterization, 62, 917 (2011); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2011.06.009.

A. Školáková, P. Novák, L. Mejzlíková, F. Pruša, P. Salvetr and D. Vojtech, Structure and Mechanical Properties of Al-Cu-Fe-X Alloys with Excellent Thermal Stability, Materials, 10(11), 1269 (2017); https://doi.org/10.3390/ma10111269.

R. Babilasa, A, Bajorek, M. Spilka, A. Radoń, W. Łoński. Structure and corrosion resistance of Al–Cu–Fe alloys, Progress in Natural Science: Materials International, 30, 393 (2020); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pnsc.2020.06.002.

F. Schurack, J, Eckert and L, Schultz, Synthesis and mechanical properties of mechanically alloyed Al–Cu–Fe quasicrystalline composites, Philosophical Magazine, 83(11), 1287 (2003); https://doi.org/10.1080/1478643031000076613.

F. Tang, I.E. Anderson, S.B. Biner, Microstructures and mechanical properties of pure Al matrix composites reinforced by Al–Cu–Fe alloy particles, Materials Science and Engineering A, 363, 20 (2003); https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-5093(03)00433-7.

G. Laplanche, A. Joulain, J. Bonneville, R. Schaller, T. El Kabir, Microstructures and mechanical properties of Al-base composite materials reinforced by Al–Cu–Fe particles, Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 493, 453 (2010); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jallcom.2009.12.124.

Yue Cheng, Takanobu Miyawaki, Wenyuan Wang, Naoki Takata, Asuka Suzuki, Makoto Kobashi, Masaki Kato, Variation in microstructural features of melt-pool structure in laser powder bed fused Al–Fe–Cu alloy at elevated temperatures, Journal of Materials Research and Technology, 32, 4048 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2024.09.013.

Yue Cheng, Takanobu Miyawaki, Wenyuan Wang, Naoki Takata, Asuka Suzuki, Makoto Kobashi, Masaki Kato, Laser-beam powder bed fusion of Al–Fe–Cu alloy to achieve high strength and thermal conductivity, Additive Manufacturing Letters, 8, 100191 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addlet.2023.100191.

Y Cheng, Y Otani, N Takata, A Suzuki, M Kobashi and M Kato, Inhomogeneous deformation in melt-pool structure of AlFe-Cu alloy manufactured by laser powder bed fusion, IOP Conf. Series: Materials Science and Engineering, 1310, 012016 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/1310/1/012016.

J. M. Hernández, I. A. Figueroa, G. González, A. E. Salas, L. E. Mendoza, I. Alfonso, G. A. Lara Rodríguez, In situ porosity formation of self foaming Al Fe Cu alloys, Applied Physics A, 128, 319 (2022); https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-022-05454-8.

M.A. Suarez, M.F. Delgado-Pamanes, J.F. Chavez-Alcal, A. Cruz-Ramírez, I. Guadarrama, I.A. Figueroa, Microstructural and mechanical characterization of quasicrystalline Al-Cu-Fe foams, Materials Today Communications, 30, 103043 (2022); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mtcomm.2021.103043.

O. V. Sukhova, V. A. Polonskyy, K. V. Ustinova, M. V. Berun, Corrosion behaviour of quasicrystal Al – Cu – Fe and Al – Ni – Fe alloys in acidic solutions, The Scientific Technical journal Metal Science and Treatment of Metals, 24(4). 19, (2018); https://momjournal.org.ua/index.php/mom/article/view/2018-4-3/2018-4-3.

Shuai Liu and Hanjie Guo, Balling Behavior of Selective Laser Melting (SLM) Magnesium Alloy, Materials, 13, 3632 (2020); https://doi.org/10.3390/ma13163632.

N.T. Aboulkhair, M. Simonelli, L. Parry, I. Ashcroft, Ch. Tuck, R. Hague, 3D printing of Aluminium alloys: Additive Manufacturing of Aluminium alloys using selective laser melting, Progress in Materials Science, 106, 100578 (2019); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmatsci.2019.100578.