Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Ultrafine-grained Fe-TiB2 high-modulus nanocomposite steel with high strength and isotropic mechanical properties by laser powder bed fusion

Journal Article · · Additive Manufacturing
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [5];  [2];  [6];  [4];  [3];  [2];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States); Nanjing Univ. of Science and Technology (China)
  2. Univ. of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA (United States)
  3. Missouri Univ. of Science and Technology, Rolla, MO (United States)
  4. Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
  5. Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
  6. Nanjing Univ. of Science and Technology (China)

Fe-TiB2 metal matrix composite, also called high-modulus steels (HMSs), are of great interest for applications in fuel-efficient transportation infrastructure, aerospace, and wear industries due to their high specific stiffness and yield strength. However, conventional cast Fe-TiB2 HMSs often contain coarse and sharp-edged TiB2 particles which easily trigger premature cracking during loading. Here, we synthesized a Fe-TiB2 nanocomposite HMS via laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing of mixed micro-sized powders of Fe, Ti, and Fe2B. We investigated the microstructure formation and mechanical behavior of the Fe-TiB2 HMS. We found that in situ chemical reaction of Ti and Fe2B enables the formation of TiB2 particles at nanoscale during rapid solidification of LPBF. These nanoscale TiB2 particles can serve as heterogeneous nucleation sites and promote the formation of ultrafine and equiaxed α-Fe grains with random crystallographic textures, which differ from many other additively manufactured (AM) metal alloys characteristic of strong crystallographic textures. As such, isotropic mechanical properties were achieved in the AM Fe-TiB2 nanocomposite HMS with a high elastic modulus of ~ 240 GPa, an exceptional yield strength of ~ 1450 MPa, and a large plasticity of ~ 20% under compression. Quantitative analysis reveals that the high yield strength primarily originates from strengthening contributions of the ultrafine grains with an average grain size of ~450 nm, the nanoscale TiB2 reinforcing particles of 20–180 nm, and a high density of printing-induced dislocations of the order of 1015 m–2. In situ synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction unveils the load partitioning from the softer α-Fe matrix to the stiffer and stronger TiB2 nanoparticles, contributing to the sustained strain hardening during compression. Our work not only provides a general pathway for achieving high-performance metal matrix nanocomposites by in situ chemical reaction and precipitation of ceramic nanoparticles during additive manufacturing, but also offers mechanistic insights into the deformation mechanism of nanoparticle-reinforced HMS composites.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF); National Science Foundation (NSF); USNRC
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
2404568
Journal Information:
Additive Manufacturing, Vol. 70; ISSN 2214-8604
Publisher:
ElsevierCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

References (78)

Pulse electrode deposition of superhard boride coatings on ferrous alloy journal August 1998
Interfaces and defects in a successfully hot-rolled steel-based composite Fe–TiB 2 journal October 2015
Direct metal laser melting of Inconel 718: Process impact on grain formation and orientation journal March 2018
Nonadditive strengthening functions for cold-worked cubic metals: Experiments and constitutive modeling journal June 2020
Selective laser melting of dense and crack-free AlCoCrFeNi2.1 eutectic high entropy alloy: Synergizing strength and ductility journal August 2022
Microstructure and tensile properties of iron parts fabricated by selective laser melting journal March 2014
Microstructure and mechanical properties of TiN particles strengthened 316L steel prepared by laser melting deposition process journal May 2021
Effect of Ti Addition on Phase Constitution and Wear Resistance of Fe–B–C Hypereutectic Overlays Produced Using Powder-Wire Composite Arc Welding journal January 2017
Efficient liquid metallurgy synthesis of Fe–TiB2 high modulus steels via in-situ reduction of titanium oxides journal May 2016
Laser additive manufacturing of nano-TiC particles reinforced CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloy matrix composites with high strength and ductility journal January 2022
Porous grinding wheels toward alleviating the pre-fatigue and increasing the material removal efficiency for rail grinding journal February 2021
Effects of ceramic particles and composition on elastic modulus of low density steels for automotive applications journal June 2014
Additive Manufacturing of High-Entropy Alloys: Microstructural Metastability and Mechanical Behavior journal August 2021
Ceramic reinforced high modulus steel composites: processing, microstructure and properties journal March 2014
Additive manufacturing of metallic components – Process, structure and properties journal March 2018
Formation characteristics of nickel-based diamond abrasive segment by selective laser melting journal April 2022
Effect of (Ti:B) atomic ratio on mechanical properties of TiB2–Fe composites “in situ” fabricated via Self-propagating High-temperature Synthesis journal March 2015
Microstructure and mechanical behavior of additively manufactured CoCrFeMnNi high-entropy alloys: Laser directed energy deposition versus powder bed fusion journal May 2023
GSAS-II : the genesis of a modern open-source all purpose crystallography software package journal March 2013
Strong yet ductile nanolamellar high-entropy alloys by additive manufacturing journal August 2022
Experimental Determination of Solid-Liquid Equilibria with Reactive Components: Example of the Fe-Ti-B Ternary System journal November 2014
Effect of nano-TiB2 particles on the anisotropy in an AlSi10Mg alloy processed by selective laser melting journal August 2019
Comparison between current models for the strength of particulate-reinforced metal matrix nanocomposites with emphasis on consideration of Hall–Petch effect journal January 2012
Phase stability and mechanical properties of wire + arc additively manufactured H13 tool steel at elevated temperatures journal March 2021
High Modulus Steels journal June 2014
Fine-structured aluminium products with controllable texture by selective laser melting of pre-alloyed AlSi10Mg powder journal March 2013
Issues in Metal Matrix Composites Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion Technique: A Review journal March 2022
Phase equilibria in TiB2-reinforced high modulus steel journal May 1999
Interface structure and chemistry in a novel steel-based composite Fe–TiB2 obtained by eutectic solidification journal October 2012
Microstructural and mechanical characteristics of in situ metal matrix composites journal August 2000
Reversible deformation-induced martensitic transformation in Al0.6CoCrFeNi high-entropy alloy investigated by in situ synchrotron-based high-energy X-ray diffraction journal April 2017
Fine-structured CoCrFeNiMn high-entropy alloy matrix composite with 12 wt% TiN particle reinforcements via selective laser melting assisted additive manufacturing journal October 2019
In-situ metal matrix composite steels: Effect of alloying and annealing on morphology, structure and mechanical properties of TiB2 particle containing high modulus steels journal April 2016
The effect of porosity on the mechanical property of metal-bonded diamond grinding wheel fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) journal January 2019
Extension of the Conventional Press Hardening Process by Local Material Influence to Improve Joining Ability journal January 2020
NIH Image to ImageJ: 25 years of image analysis journal June 2012
Effect of Build Height on Temperature Evolution and Thermally Induced Residual Stresses in Plasma Arc Additively Manufactured Stainless Steel journal November 2021
Effect of titanium on the ductilization of Fe–B alloys with high boron content journal June 2010
Geometrical, microstructural, and mechanical properties of curved-surface AlSi10Mg parts fabricated by powder bed fusion additive manufacturing journal January 2021
Pitting Corrosion in 316L Stainless Steel Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion Additive Manufacturing: A Review and Perspective journal March 2022
Improving the mechanical properties of Fe – TiB2 high modulus steels through controlled solidification processes journal October 2016
Highly Anisotropic Steel Processed by Selective Laser Melting journal May 2013
Revealing the interfacial plasticity and shear strength of a TiB2-strengthened high-modulus low-density steel journal December 2018
Selective laser sintering/melting (SLS/SLM) of pure Al, Al–Mg, and Al–Si powders: Effect of processing conditions and powder properties journal August 2013
Origin of dislocation structures in an additively manufactured austenitic stainless steel 316L journal October 2020
Geometrically necessary dislocations and strain-gradient plasticity: a few critical issues journal January 2003
Reducing lack of fusion during selective laser melting of CoCrMo alloy: Effect of laser power on geometrical features of tracks journal December 2016
Revealing the novel fracture mechanism of the interfaces of TiB2/Fe composite from a first principles investigation journal September 2018
Solidification paths in the iron-rich part of the Fe–Ti–B ternary system journal February 2016
Formation of printing defects and their effects on mechanical properties of additively manufactured metal alloys journal December 2022
In-situ experimental and numerical studies of the damage evolution and fracture in a Fe-TiB2 composite journal May 2018
Rapid fabrication of bulk-form TiB2/316L stainless steel nanocomposites with novel reinforcement architecture and improved performance by selective laser melting journal September 2016
Crystallographic texture in an additively manufactured nickel-base superalloy journal January 2017
Strong morphological and crystallographic texture and resulting yield strength anisotropy in selective laser melted tantalum journal July 2013
Nanoparticle enabled high performance high modulus steels journal August 2021
Analytical Prediction of Balling, Lack-of-Fusion and Keyholing Thresholds in Powder Bed Fusion journal December 2021
High-modulus steels reinforced with ceramic particles through ingot casting process journal July 2016
Assessing printability maps in additive manufacturing of metal alloys journal September 2019
The incorporation of self-propagating, high-temperature synthesis-formed Fe-TiB2 into ferrous melts journal September 2002
Synthesis and characterization of TiB2-reinforced iron-based composites journal February 2006
A novel medium-Mn steel with superior mechanical properties and marginal oxidization after press hardening journal February 2021
Fiji: an open-source platform for biological-image analysis journal June 2012
Additively manufactured hierarchical stainless steels with high strength and ductility journal October 2017
Corrosion Behavior of Selectively Laser Melted CoCrFeMnNi High Entropy Alloy journal September 2019
Examination of molten pool with Marangoni flow and evaporation effect by simulation and experiment in selective laser melting journal June 2021
Particle-induced damage in Fe–TiB2 high stiffness metal matrix composite steels journal December 2018
Primary Radiation Damage of BCC Iron under Uniaxial and Hydrostatic Stress: MD Simulation journal May 2016
Mechanism of keyhole pore formation in metal additive manufacturing journal January 2022
High modulus steels: new requirement of automotive market. How to take up challenge? journal June 2014
Additive manufacturing of three-dimensional (3D)-architected CoCrFeNiMn high- entropy alloy with great energy absorption journal January 2021
Interfacial plasticity of a TiB 2 -reinforced steel matrix composite fabricated by eutectic solidification journal April 2015
Microstructure refinement for high modulus in-situ metal matrix composite steels via controlled solidification of the system Fe–TiB2 journal September 2015
Dendrite remelting during rapid solidification of undercooled CoSi-CoSi2 eutectic alloys quantified by in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction journal March 2021
Stiff, light, strong and ductile: nano-structured High Modulus Steel journal June 2017
Controllable additive manufacturing of gradient bulk metallic glass composite with high strength and tensile ductility journal March 2021
Material properties of titanium diboride journal September 2000
New insights on cellular structures strengthening mechanisms and thermal stability of an austenitic stainless steel fabricated by laser powder-bed-fusion journal January 2021
Thermodynamic Study on Self-propagating High Temperature Synthesis of TiB2/Fe Composites journal August 2019