Chandra, S., Wang, C., Tor, S. B., Ramamurty, U., & Tan, X. (2024). Powder-size driven facile microstructure control in powder-fusion metal additive manufacturing processes. Nature Communications, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47257-w
Abstract:
Microstructure control in metal additive manufacturing is highly desirable for superior and bespoke mechanical performance. Engineering the columnar-to-equiaxed transition during rapid solidification in the additive manufacturing process is crucial for its technological advancement. Here, we report a powder-size driven melt pool engineering approach, demonstrating facile and large-scale control in the grain morphology by triggering a counterintuitive response of powder size to the additively manufactured 316 L stainless steel microstructure. We obtain coarse-grained (>100 μm) or near-monocrystalline microstructure using fine powders and near-equiaxed, fine-grained (<10 μm) microstructure using coarse powders. This approach shows resourceful adaptability to directed energy deposition and powder-bed fusion with no added cost, where the particle-size dependent powder-flow preheating effects and powder-bed thermophysical properties drive the microstructural variations. This work presents a pathway for leveraging feedstock particle size distribution towards more controllable, cost-effective, and sustainable metal additive manufacturing.
License type:
Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Funding Info:
This research / project is supported by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research - Structural Metal Alloys Programme
Grant Reference no. : A18B1b0061