Microstructure and creep anisotropy of Inconel 718 alloy processed by selective laser melting

In this study, Inconel 718 alloy cylindrical rods with their axes normal or parallel to the building directions were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM), then homogenized and double aged. Creep tests of the heat-treated samples were conducted under a constant stress of 650 MPa at 650 degrees C. The microstructures of the as-built, heattreated and post-creep horizontal and vertical samples were characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction. The experimental results showed that both equiaxed grains and columnar dendrites exist in the horizontal and vertical samples before and after creep. The average grain sizes remained nearly unchanged during creep. The larger grain size and reduced regions of transverse grain boundaries, as well as the promoted precipitation of the gamma '' phases at the creep test condition contributed to the longer creep rupture life (similar to 120 h) of the vertical sample. Stress concentration occurring especially at the transverse grain boundaries led to the final failure by intergranular fracture for the two building orientational samples. The anisotropy of creep behavior of the SLMed Inconel 718 alloy could not be eliminated by the present heat treatment schedule.