Microstructure Control and Hot Cracking Prevention During Laser Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Based Superalloy

Hot cracking is a frequent and severe defect that occurs during laser additive manufacturing of superalloys. In this work, a pulsed-wave (PW) laser modulation process was employed to control the solidification microstructure and reduce the hot cracking susceptibility of laser additive manufactured c...

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Main Authors: Xuanyu Liu, Xianghui Xiao, Wenjia Xiao, Junbin Zeng, Kuanfang He, Hui Xiao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Crystals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/14/12/1043
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author Xuanyu Liu
Xianghui Xiao
Wenjia Xiao
Junbin Zeng
Kuanfang He
Hui Xiao
author_facet Xuanyu Liu
Xianghui Xiao
Wenjia Xiao
Junbin Zeng
Kuanfang He
Hui Xiao
author_sort Xuanyu Liu
collection DOAJ
description Hot cracking is a frequent and severe defect that occurs during laser additive manufacturing of superalloys. In this work, a pulsed-wave (PW) laser modulation process was employed to control the solidification microstructure and reduce the hot cracking susceptibility of laser additive manufactured cobalt-based superalloy. The effects of continuous-wave (CW) and PW laser processing modes on the dendrite morphology, element segregation, eutectic phase, and hot cracking of fabricated Co-based superalloys were investigated. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the microstructural characteristics of samples. A two-color pyrometer was used to measure the molten pool temperature variation under different laser processing modes. The results show that coarse columnar dendrites, chain-like eutectic carbides, and hot cracks were observed in the CW sample. In contrast, the fine equiaxed crystals, discrete eutectic carbides, and low-level residual stresses were obtained to avoid hot cracks, owing to the high cooling rate and the periodic melting and solidification of the molten pool under the PW laser processing mode. This work provides a new method for controlling solidification structure and hot cracking of laser additive manufactured Co-based superalloy.
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spelling doaj-art-5e4b73784ea648749a95dfdc6d7edf0a2025-08-20T02:53:34ZengMDPI AGCrystals2073-43522024-11-011412104310.3390/cryst14121043Microstructure Control and Hot Cracking Prevention During Laser Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Based SuperalloyXuanyu Liu0Xianghui Xiao1Wenjia Xiao2Junbin Zeng3Kuanfang He4Hui Xiao5Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Industrial Intelligent Inspection Technology, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Industrial Intelligent Inspection Technology, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Industrial Intelligent Inspection Technology, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Industrial Intelligent Inspection Technology, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Industrial Intelligent Inspection Technology, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, ChinaGuangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Industrial Intelligent Inspection Technology, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, ChinaHot cracking is a frequent and severe defect that occurs during laser additive manufacturing of superalloys. In this work, a pulsed-wave (PW) laser modulation process was employed to control the solidification microstructure and reduce the hot cracking susceptibility of laser additive manufactured cobalt-based superalloy. The effects of continuous-wave (CW) and PW laser processing modes on the dendrite morphology, element segregation, eutectic phase, and hot cracking of fabricated Co-based superalloys were investigated. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were used to characterize the microstructural characteristics of samples. A two-color pyrometer was used to measure the molten pool temperature variation under different laser processing modes. The results show that coarse columnar dendrites, chain-like eutectic carbides, and hot cracks were observed in the CW sample. In contrast, the fine equiaxed crystals, discrete eutectic carbides, and low-level residual stresses were obtained to avoid hot cracks, owing to the high cooling rate and the periodic melting and solidification of the molten pool under the PW laser processing mode. This work provides a new method for controlling solidification structure and hot cracking of laser additive manufactured Co-based superalloy.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/14/12/1043laser additive manufacturingcobalt-based superalloylaser processing modessegregationeutectic carbideshot crack
spellingShingle Xuanyu Liu
Xianghui Xiao
Wenjia Xiao
Junbin Zeng
Kuanfang He
Hui Xiao
Microstructure Control and Hot Cracking Prevention During Laser Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Based Superalloy
Crystals
laser additive manufacturing
cobalt-based superalloy
laser processing modes
segregation
eutectic carbides
hot crack
title Microstructure Control and Hot Cracking Prevention During Laser Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Based Superalloy
title_full Microstructure Control and Hot Cracking Prevention During Laser Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Based Superalloy
title_fullStr Microstructure Control and Hot Cracking Prevention During Laser Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Based Superalloy
title_full_unstemmed Microstructure Control and Hot Cracking Prevention During Laser Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Based Superalloy
title_short Microstructure Control and Hot Cracking Prevention During Laser Additive Manufacturing of Cobalt-Based Superalloy
title_sort microstructure control and hot cracking prevention during laser additive manufacturing of cobalt based superalloy
topic laser additive manufacturing
cobalt-based superalloy
laser processing modes
segregation
eutectic carbides
hot crack
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4352/14/12/1043
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AT wenjiaxiao microstructurecontrolandhotcrackingpreventionduringlaseradditivemanufacturingofcobaltbasedsuperalloy
AT junbinzeng microstructurecontrolandhotcrackingpreventionduringlaseradditivemanufacturingofcobaltbasedsuperalloy
AT kuanfanghe microstructurecontrolandhotcrackingpreventionduringlaseradditivemanufacturingofcobaltbasedsuperalloy
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