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A defect-resistant Co-Ni superalloy for 3D printing
Sean P Murray1, Kira M Pusch1, Andrew T Polonsky1,2
1Materials Department, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, 93106, USA.
Nature Communications
|October 3, 2020
Summary
New cobalt-nickel superalloys are 3D printable, offering high strength and ductility for demanding applications. These defect-resistant materials advance additive manufacturing for aerospace and energy sectors.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Metallurgy
- Additive Manufacturing
Background:
- Additive manufacturing (AM) offers transformative potential for high-value metallic materials, enabling complex designs and reducing waste.
- A key challenge is developing alloys suitable for AM processes that retain properties for extreme environments in energy, space, and nuclear applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and characterize novel, high-strength, defect-resistant superalloys for 3D printing.
- To evaluate the suitability of these alloys for electron beam melting (EBM) and selective laser melting (SLM) processes.
Main Methods:
- Development of Co-Ni-base superalloys with additions of Al, Cr, Ta, and W.
- 3D printing using electron beam melting (EBM) with preheat and selective laser melting (SLM) with limited preheat.
- Characterization of alloy structure and mechanical properties (strength, ductility) in as-printed and post-processed conditions.
Main Results:
- Achieved strengths exceeding 1.1 GPa in both as-printed and post-processed states.
- Demonstrated tensile ductilities greater than 13% at room temperature.
- Confirmed crack-free 3D printing via EBM and SLM, indicating good process compatibility.
Conclusions:
- The developed Co-Ni-base superalloys are robust for additive manufacturing, meeting demanding mechanical property requirements.
- These alloys represent a significant advancement for 3D printing high-performance materials in critical industries.
- Alloy design principles for defect-resistant, 3D printable superalloys are established.
