Effects of processing parameters on the LPBF-deposited AlSi10Mg/SiC_p composite: microstructure and mechanical properties

Abstract

Adding SiC particle (SiC_p) to Al alloys to form Al/SiC_p composite can increase the elastic modulus and reduce the thermal expansion coefficient of the material. In this study, the microstructure, porosity and thermal expansion coefficient, and mechanical properties of AlSi10Mg-10 vol.% SiC_p composite fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) were investigated. The ultimate tensile strength, compressive strength, compressive modulus, and the thermal expansion coefficient of LPBF-deposited AlSi10Mg/SiC_p composite are 351, 861.9 MPa, 121.9 GPa and 18.23 × 10⁻⁶°C⁻¹, respectively. The results demonstrate that the use of the E_v equation to evaluate the effect of LPBF parameters on mechanical properties and relative density of the composites is accurate when only one parameter changes in the E_v equation.

KEYWORDS:

• Laser powder bed fusion
• processing parameters
• AlSi10Mg/SiC_p composite
• microstructure
• porosity
• mechanical properties
• thermal expansion coefficient
• volumetric laser energy density (E_v)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China: [Grant Number 51971166]; Natural Science Foundation of Shaanxi Province: [Grant Number 2020JM-557]; National Natural Science Foundation of China: [Grant Number 51671151].