Description

URL

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0167577X23005840

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matlet.2023.134399

Brief

Abstract A novel electromagnetic three-dimensional vibration approach was employed for powder feedstock preparation oriented to additive manufacturing of metal matrix nano-composites (MMNCs). The efficiency of this promising mixing technique was validated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) of AlSi10Mg reinforced with 3 wt% of B4C nanopowder. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis revealed that a uniform dispersion of B4C was achieved on the AlSi10Mg powder surface, while retaining its original spherical morphology. The modified powder recycling had no influence on the adherence of nanoparticles to the powder surface. The LPBF-processed samples exhibited good homogeneity in the nano B4C distribution, resulting in an increase in hardness compared to unmodified AlSi10Mg. This high-productivity and cost-efficient approach provides a remedy for the process chain bottleneck in the additive manufacturing of MMNC.

KeyWords

Laser powder bed fusion, Nanoparticles, Metal matrix composites, AlSi1Mg, Microstructure