Microstructure, mechanical, and wear properties of thin-walled Ti6Al4V parts produced using laser powder bed fusion technique

Abstract

The present work aims to study the variation of microstructure, microhardness and wear properties of the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) processed Ti6Al4V thin-walled sample along the build direction. The results revealed that a harder α′ and Ti3Al phases in the Ti6Al4V’s microstructure. The lath thickness was thinner at the top and bottom than the middle region. The microhardness value variation was found to be around ∼ 5 % along the build direction. A linear relationship between microhardness and wear loss was observed. The presence of the Ti3Al phase resulted in inferior sliding wear of the thin-walled part along the build direction. However, thecoefficient of friction values was influenced by variable lath thickness along the build direction. The outcome of the present study is technically captivating and crucial for the design and development of advanced industry-specific thin-walled Ti6Al4V end-use parts.