Compositional criteria to predict columnar to equiaxed transitions in metal additive manufacturing

Abstract Predicting the columnar to equiaxed transition (CET) and grain refinement for additively manufactured alloys from thermodynamic databases has been a long-standing challenge and an ongoing source of discussion. Efforts are focused on designing alloy compositions to achieve fully equiaxed mic...

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Main Authors: Ryan Brooke, Duyao Zhang, Dong Qiu, Mark A. Gibson, Mark Easton
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Nature Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60162-0
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author Ryan Brooke
Duyao Zhang
Dong Qiu
Mark A. Gibson
Mark Easton
author_facet Ryan Brooke
Duyao Zhang
Dong Qiu
Mark A. Gibson
Mark Easton
author_sort Ryan Brooke
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Predicting the columnar to equiaxed transition (CET) and grain refinement for additively manufactured alloys from thermodynamic databases has been a long-standing challenge and an ongoing source of discussion. Efforts are focused on designing alloy compositions to achieve fully equiaxed microstructures, thereby eliminating the mechanical anisotropy commonly associated with the large columnar grains in additively manufactured alloys. Here, three compositional parameters proposed in the literature are evaluated across a range of Ti alloys: the non-equilibrium solidification range (ΔT s ), the growth restriction factor (Q) and constitutional supercooling parameter (P). Ti-Fe, Ti-Cu, Ti-Cu-Fe, and Ti-Mo alloys produced via direct energy deposition experimentally verified that P is the most reliable parameter to guide the selection of alloying elements for additively manufactured (AM) alloys. Verification was found by reconsidering results from additional alloy systems and AM methods. The numerical CET models also predict that P is closely related to dendrite tip undercooling at high growth velocities, as found in AM. This work provides a clearer framework for predicting the grain morphology of metallic alloys in AM.
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spelling doaj-art-63d03e1f0d744d02a019324a0b7949592025-08-20T03:45:34ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-07-0116111110.1038/s41467-025-60162-0Compositional criteria to predict columnar to equiaxed transitions in metal additive manufacturingRyan Brooke0Duyao Zhang1Dong Qiu2Mark A. Gibson3Mark Easton4School of Engineering, Centre for Additive Manufacturing, RMIT UniversitySchool of Engineering, Centre for Additive Manufacturing, RMIT UniversitySchool of Engineering, Centre for Additive Manufacturing, RMIT UniversitySchool of Engineering, Centre for Additive Manufacturing, RMIT UniversitySchool of Engineering, Centre for Additive Manufacturing, RMIT UniversityAbstract Predicting the columnar to equiaxed transition (CET) and grain refinement for additively manufactured alloys from thermodynamic databases has been a long-standing challenge and an ongoing source of discussion. Efforts are focused on designing alloy compositions to achieve fully equiaxed microstructures, thereby eliminating the mechanical anisotropy commonly associated with the large columnar grains in additively manufactured alloys. Here, three compositional parameters proposed in the literature are evaluated across a range of Ti alloys: the non-equilibrium solidification range (ΔT s ), the growth restriction factor (Q) and constitutional supercooling parameter (P). Ti-Fe, Ti-Cu, Ti-Cu-Fe, and Ti-Mo alloys produced via direct energy deposition experimentally verified that P is the most reliable parameter to guide the selection of alloying elements for additively manufactured (AM) alloys. Verification was found by reconsidering results from additional alloy systems and AM methods. The numerical CET models also predict that P is closely related to dendrite tip undercooling at high growth velocities, as found in AM. This work provides a clearer framework for predicting the grain morphology of metallic alloys in AM.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60162-0
spellingShingle Ryan Brooke
Duyao Zhang
Dong Qiu
Mark A. Gibson
Mark Easton
Compositional criteria to predict columnar to equiaxed transitions in metal additive manufacturing
Nature Communications
title Compositional criteria to predict columnar to equiaxed transitions in metal additive manufacturing
title_full Compositional criteria to predict columnar to equiaxed transitions in metal additive manufacturing
title_fullStr Compositional criteria to predict columnar to equiaxed transitions in metal additive manufacturing
title_full_unstemmed Compositional criteria to predict columnar to equiaxed transitions in metal additive manufacturing
title_short Compositional criteria to predict columnar to equiaxed transitions in metal additive manufacturing
title_sort compositional criteria to predict columnar to equiaxed transitions in metal additive manufacturing
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-60162-0
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AT markagibson compositionalcriteriatopredictcolumnartoequiaxedtransitionsinmetaladditivemanufacturing
AT markeaston compositionalcriteriatopredictcolumnartoequiaxedtransitionsinmetaladditivemanufacturing