Mechanical and microstructural characterisation of Inconel 625-AISI 431 steel bulk produced by direct laser deposition

The direct laser deposition process successfully produced a bulk material by mixing 50% Inconel 625 powders (M625) with 50% AISI 431 steel powders (M42C). The properties of this new material, such as tensile strength and wear resistance, were evaluated. The microstructure was also analysed using scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the formation of defects and second phases in the bulk material were investigated by applying a tomography analysis. M625-M42C bulk material shows tensile strength and abrasive wear behaviour similar to Inconel 625 alloy, suggesting a potential replacement material for the more expensive Inconel 625. This study is focused on an innovative material, which had not yet been produced as a bulk, allowing the evaluation of the mechanical and metallurgical characteristics promoted by this mixture of powders. In addition, this deposition methodology seems very interesting for cladding or repair objectives since the failure did not happen at the transition interface between deposited bulk and substrate.