In situ alloying of a modified inconel 625 via laser powder bed fusion: Microstructure and mechanical properties

This study investigates the in situ alloying of a Ni-based superalloy processed by means of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). For this purpose, Inconel 625 powder is mixed with 1 wt.% of Ti6Al4V powder. The modified alloy is characterized by densification levels similar to the base alloy, with relative density superior to 99.8%. The material exhibits Ti-rich segregations along the melt pool contours. Moreover, Ti tends to be entrapped in the interdendritic areas during solidification in the as-built state. After heat treatments, the modified Inconel 625 version presents greater hardness and tensile strengths than the base alloy in the same heat-treated conditions. For the solution annealed state, this is mainly attributed to the elimination of the segregations into the interdendritic structures, thus triggering solute strengthening. Finally, for the aged state, the further increment of mechanical properties can be attributed to a more intense formation of phases than the base alloy, due to elevated precipitation strengthening ability under heat treatments. It is interesting to note how slight chemical composition modification can directly develop new alloys by the LPBF process.