Investigations of the mechanical and high-temperature tribological properties of the Inconel 718 alloy formed by selective laser melting

Abstract

Selective laser melting (SLM) is a 3D printing technology suitable for manufacturing high-precision metal parts with complex geometries. At present, the research on SLM technology to produce high performance, complex structures made of superalloy parts has become the focus of aerospace and other fields. In this work, the microstructure, microhardness, and tensile strength of an Inconel 718 superalloy synthesized using SLM technology were first investigated. Then, the wear characteristics of the alloy at various temperatures were examined by multifunctional friction and wear testing equipment. Finally, a thorough analysis of the wear damage mechanisms of the materials over a wide temperature range was performed. The grains of the Inconel 718 superalloy formed by SLM developed as columnar grains that were more evenly and firmly dispersed along the horizontal axis. The material had a slightly greater microhardness in the vertical plane (HV1 =346) than in the horizontal plane (HV1 =324). A tensile test revealed that the horizontal tensile strength of SLM-formed Inconel 718 alloy was 50.1 MPa higher than that in the vertical direction, while the elongation was 0.14 % lower than the latter. The fracture mechanism of the material presented a fracture type dominated by microporous aggregation. A friction wear test showed that the friction wear coefficient of the SLM-formed Inconel 718 alloy gradually decreased with temperature. Abrasive wear, oxidative wear, and adhesive wear were the main wear mechanisms for the material during wear testing in the high temperature environments. The wear surface of the alloy material generated an oxide layer at 650 °C, which was effective in lowering friction and wear.