The most promising metal processing additive
manufacturing technique in industry is selective laser melting,
but only a few alloys are commercially available, limiting
the potential of this technique. In particular high strength
aluminum alloys, which are of great importance in the automotive
industry, are missing. An aluminum 2024 alloy, reinforced
by Ti-6Al-4V and B4C particles, could be used as a
high strength alternative for aluminum alloys. Heat treating
can be used to improve the mechanical properties of the metal
matrix composite. Dynamic scanning calorimetry shows
the formation of Al2Cu precipitates in the matrix instead of
the expected Al2CuMg phases due to the loss of magnesium
during printing, and precipitation processes are accelerated
due to particle reinforcement and additive manufacturing.
Strong reactions between aluminum and Ti-6Al-4V are observed
in the microstructure, while B4C shows no reaction
with the matrix or the titanium. The material shows high
hardness, high stiffness, and low ductility through precipitation
and particle reinforcement.
«The most promising metal processing additive
manufacturing technique in industry is selective laser melting,
but only a few alloys are commercially available, limiting
the potential of this technique. In particular high strength
aluminum alloys, which are of great importance in the automotive
industry, are missing. An aluminum 2024 alloy, reinforced
by Ti-6Al-4V and B4C particles, could be used as a
high strength alternative for aluminum alloys. Heat treating
can be used to impro...
»