Laser powder bed fusion of a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy: Process, microstructure, and performance

In this work, a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy was fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The effects of laser power and scanning speed on the internal defect, density, and microstructure were systematically investigated, and their correlation with alloy microhardness, mechanical st...

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Main Authors: Zhengjiang Gao, Hui Li, Teng Ma, Huan Yang, Wei Wang, Wu Wei, Hui Huang, Shengping Wen, Zuoren Nie
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-09-01
Series:Journal of Materials Research and Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425018447
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author Zhengjiang Gao
Hui Li
Teng Ma
Huan Yang
Wei Wang
Wu Wei
Hui Huang
Shengping Wen
Zuoren Nie
author_facet Zhengjiang Gao
Hui Li
Teng Ma
Huan Yang
Wei Wang
Wu Wei
Hui Huang
Shengping Wen
Zuoren Nie
author_sort Zhengjiang Gao
collection DOAJ
description In this work, a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy was fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The effects of laser power and scanning speed on the internal defect, density, and microstructure were systematically investigated, and their correlation with alloy microhardness, mechanical strength and elongation were also explored. The results show that alloy exhibits good processability with a wide process window. Alloy strength and microhardness are mainly associated with grain size, precipitation phase size and its distribution. Grains as well as precipitation phases become finer and precipitation density is increased as scanning speed increases or laser power decreases, leading to an enhancement in alloy strength and microhardness. The elongation is closely related to alloy density, which first increases and then decreases with the rising volumetric laser energy density, accompanied by the transformation of internal defects from unfused defects to pores and then to keyholes. Both of keyholes caused by excessive energy input and unfused defects caused by insufficient energy input will decrease alloy density and induce stress concentration, resulting in a reduction in elongation. And compared with keyholes, unfused defects are more detrimental to material elongation and should be avoid in production. Under appropriate process parameters, alloys with density over 99.8 % can be obtained, and can achieve a good combination of strength and plasticity, with a yield strength of 521 MPa, a tensile strength of up to 531 MPa and an elongation of 12 % after heat treatment.
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publishDate 2025-09-01
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series Journal of Materials Research and Technology
spelling doaj-art-4852d0c841364ceb9596feb8cdc7cffd2025-08-20T03:58:49ZengElsevierJournal of Materials Research and Technology2238-78542025-09-013811813210.1016/j.jmrt.2025.07.186Laser powder bed fusion of a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy: Process, microstructure, and performanceZhengjiang Gao0Hui Li1Teng Ma2Huan Yang3Wei Wang4Wu Wei5Hui Huang6Shengping Wen7Zuoren Nie8State Key Laboratory of Materials Low-Carbon Recycling, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Avimetal AM Tech Co., Ltd., Beijing, 100176, ChinaAvimetal AM Tech Co., Ltd., Beijing, 100176, ChinaAvimetal AM Tech Co., Ltd., Beijing, 100176, ChinaAvimetal AM Tech Co., Ltd., Beijing, 100176, ChinaAvimetal AM Tech Co., Ltd., Xuzhou, 221221, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Materials Low-Carbon Recycling, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Corresponding author.State Key Laboratory of Materials Low-Carbon Recycling, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Materials Low-Carbon Recycling, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Materials Low-Carbon Recycling, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, 100124, China; Corresponding author.In this work, a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy was fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The effects of laser power and scanning speed on the internal defect, density, and microstructure were systematically investigated, and their correlation with alloy microhardness, mechanical strength and elongation were also explored. The results show that alloy exhibits good processability with a wide process window. Alloy strength and microhardness are mainly associated with grain size, precipitation phase size and its distribution. Grains as well as precipitation phases become finer and precipitation density is increased as scanning speed increases or laser power decreases, leading to an enhancement in alloy strength and microhardness. The elongation is closely related to alloy density, which first increases and then decreases with the rising volumetric laser energy density, accompanied by the transformation of internal defects from unfused defects to pores and then to keyholes. Both of keyholes caused by excessive energy input and unfused defects caused by insufficient energy input will decrease alloy density and induce stress concentration, resulting in a reduction in elongation. And compared with keyholes, unfused defects are more detrimental to material elongation and should be avoid in production. Under appropriate process parameters, alloys with density over 99.8 % can be obtained, and can achieve a good combination of strength and plasticity, with a yield strength of 521 MPa, a tensile strength of up to 531 MPa and an elongation of 12 % after heat treatment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425018447Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)Al–Mg alloyEr–Zr-Sc modificationProcess parameterAdditive manufacturingHigh-strength aluminum alloy
spellingShingle Zhengjiang Gao
Hui Li
Teng Ma
Huan Yang
Wei Wang
Wu Wei
Hui Huang
Shengping Wen
Zuoren Nie
Laser powder bed fusion of a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy: Process, microstructure, and performance
Journal of Materials Research and Technology
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)
Al–Mg alloy
Er–Zr-Sc modification
Process parameter
Additive manufacturing
High-strength aluminum alloy
title Laser powder bed fusion of a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy: Process, microstructure, and performance
title_full Laser powder bed fusion of a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy: Process, microstructure, and performance
title_fullStr Laser powder bed fusion of a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy: Process, microstructure, and performance
title_full_unstemmed Laser powder bed fusion of a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy: Process, microstructure, and performance
title_short Laser powder bed fusion of a novel high-strength Al–Mg–Er–Zr-Sc alloy: Process, microstructure, and performance
title_sort laser powder bed fusion of a novel high strength al mg er zr sc alloy process microstructure and performance
topic Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)
Al–Mg alloy
Er–Zr-Sc modification
Process parameter
Additive manufacturing
High-strength aluminum alloy
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2238785425018447
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