Microstructural origins of high strength of Al–Si alloy manufactured by laser powder bed fusion: In-situ synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction approach

Abstract

The microstructural factors contributing to the high strength of additive-manufactured Al–Si alloys using laser-beam powder bed fusion (PBF-LB) were identified by in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction in tensile deformation and transmission electron microscopy. PBF-LB and heat treatment were employed to manufacture Al–12%Si binary alloy specimens with different microstructures. At an early stage of deformation prior to macroscopic yielding, stress was dominantly partitioned into the α-Al matrix, rather than the Si phase in all specimens. Highly concentrated Si solute (∼3%) in the α-Al matrix promoted the dynamic precipitation of nanoscale Si phase during loading, thereby increasing the yield strength. After macroscopic yielding, the partitioned stress in the Si phase monotonically increased in the strain-hardening regime with an increase in the dislocation density in the α-Al matrix. At a later stage of strain hardening, the flow curves of the partitioned stress in the Si phase yielded stress relaxation owing to plastic deformation. Therefore, Si-phase particles localized along the cell walls in the cellular-solidified microstructure play a significant role in dislocation obstacles for strain hardening. Compared with the results of the heat-treated specimens with different microstructural factors, the dominant strengthening factors of PBF-LB manufactured Al–Si alloys were discussed.