Abstract
Selective laser melting (SLM) is a near-net-shape time- and cost-effective manufacturing technique, which can create strong and efficient components with potential applications in the aerospace industry. To meet the requirements of the growing aerospace industrial demands, lighter materials with enhanced mechanical properties are of the utmost need. Metal matrix composites (MMCs) are extraordinary engineering materials with tailorable properties, bilaterally benefiting from the desired properties of reinforcement and matrix constituents. Among a wide range of MMCs currently available, aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) and titanium matrix composites (TMCs) are highly potential candidates for aerospace applications owing to their outstanding strength-to-weight ratio. However, the feasibility of SLM-fabricated composites utilization in aerospace applications is still challenging. This review addresses the SLM of AMCs/TMCs by considering the processability (densification level) and microstructural evolutions as the most significant factors determining the mechanical properties of the final part. The mechanical properties of fabricated MMCs are assessed in terms of hardness, tensile/compressive strength, ductility, and wear resistance, and are compared to their monolithic states. The knowledge gained from process–microstructure–mechanical properties relationship investigations can pave the way to make the existing materials better and invent new materials compatible with growing aerospace industrial demands.
Highlights
IntroductionBy increasing the technological requirements for lightweight materials with superior physical and mechanical properties, metal matrix composites (MMCs) are considered as novel engineering materials with tailorable properties, meeting a part of the growing industrial demands
This review aims to address the selective laser melting (SLM) of titanium matrix composites (TMCs) and aluminum matrix composites (AMCs) with potential applications in the aerospace industry
When ceramic reinforcing particles are mixed with a metallic powder, the type, size, morphology, and volume fraction of these powder particles are among the crucial factors determining the laser absorptivity, processability, microstructural homogeneity, and, the mechanical properties of SLM-processed metal matrix composites (MMCs) [53,54,55]
Summary
By increasing the technological requirements for lightweight materials with superior physical and mechanical properties, metal matrix composites (MMCs) are considered as novel engineering materials with tailorable properties, meeting a part of the growing industrial demands. Owing to their desired structural and functional properties, they have found their way into a wide variety of technological fields, aerospace applications. SLM is a PBF–AM process in which an object is manufactured layer-by-layer from a batch of and turned a thin layeraof3Dpowder is deposited looseinto powder using ain mobile laser beam. By repeating this process, complexconstructed as objects defined by the model [43,44,45,46]
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