Comparison of the Behaviour of an Al-Fe-Ce Alloy by Powder Metallurgy and by PBF-LB/M

Abstract

Al-8Fe-4Ce is an aluminium alloy developed in the 80’s as potential replacement for titanium in structural applications at medium service temperatures (up to 350 °C). This alloy was specifically tailored for powder metallurgy process since both the Fe and the Ce contents are far beyond the equilibrium solid solubility. Indeed, these elements are fundamental for the mechanical properties at high temperature. Nowadays, the study of Al alloys that can withstand service temperatures higher than 200 °C has regained momentum due to the emergence of additive manufacturing (AM) as reliable manufacturing processes. Among them, laser powder bed fusion for metals (PBF-LB/M) guarantees similar cooling rates of traditional rapid solidification techniques but with the ability to produce components with a high degree of complexity. In this study, Al-8Fe-4Ce was processed by press and sinter (P/S) and by PBF-LB/M and then the obtained samples were compared in terms of microstructure and mechanical properties.