Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of AlSi12CuNi Alloy Fabricated by Laser Powder Bed Fusion Process

The microstructure and mechanical properties of the AlSi12CuNi alloy fabricated by the additive manufacturing technique, laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), were investigated. Several laser irradiation conditions were examined to optimize the manufacturing process to obtain a high volume density of the fabricated alloy. Good fabricated samples with a relative density of 99% or higher were obtained with no cracks. The fabricated samples exhibited significantly good mechanical properties, such as ultimate tensile strength, breaking elongation, and micro-hardness, compared to the conventional die casting AlSi12CuNi alloy. Fine microstructures consisting of the alpha-Al phase and a nanosized eutectic Al-Si network were observed. The dimensions of the microstructures were smaller than those of the conventional die-casting AlSi12CuNi alloy. The superior mechanical properties were attributed to the microstructure associated with the rapid solidification in the L-PBF process. Furthermore, the influence of the building direction on the mechanical properties of the fabricated samples was evaluated. The ultimate tensile strength and breaking elongation were significantly affected by the building direction; mechanical properties parallel to the roller moving direction were significantly better than those perpendicular to the roller moving direction. In conclusion, AlSi12CuNi alloys with good characteristics were successfully fabricated by the L-PBF process.