Al-Al

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Metallurgy
• Additive Manufacturing

Background:

• Additive manufacturing enables the creation of novel multiphase composites.
• Aluminum alloys and nickel superalloys are critical engineering materials with distinct properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the microstructure formation in aluminum alloy ER4043 and nickel superalloy Udimet-500 composites produced by additive electron beam manufacturing.
• To characterize the resulting phases, mechanical properties, and wear behavior.

Main Methods:

• Electron beam additive manufacturing of Al-Ni composites.
• Microstructural analysis using microscopy and phase identification.
• Mechanical testing including tensile, compression, and wear tests.

Main Results:

• Formation of a multicomponent microstructure with carbides (Cr23C6), solid solutions (Al, Si), eutectics, and various intermetallic phases (Al3Ni, AlNi3, etc.).
• High volume of solid phases led to increased hardness and low ductility, resulting in brittle fracture.
• Tensile strength decreased, while compressive strength significantly increased with nickel superalloy content (up to 1200 MPa).
• Improved wear resistance and reduced coefficient of friction observed.

Conclusions:

• Additive manufacturing of ER4043 and Udimet-500 results in complex multiphase composites.
• The microstructure dictates a trade-off between tensile and compressive strength, with enhanced compressive performance and wear resistance.
• The study provides insights into phase formation and property optimization for Al-Ni composites fabricated via additive manufacturing.