Microstructure and Properties of B4C/AlSi10Mg Composite Prepared by Laser Powder Bed Fusion

doi:10.11901/1005.3093.2025.097

Chinese Journal of Materials Research

2025, Vol. 39

Issue (12): 909-917 DOI: 10.11901/1005.3093.2025.097

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Microstructure and Properties of B₄C/AlSi10Mg Composite Prepared by Laser Powder Bed Fusion

XU Haoyu¹, LUO Shenggui², ZHANG Hao², QIN Yanli¹(

), NI Dingrui², XIAO Bolv², MA Zongyi²

^1.School of Science, Shenyang Ligong University, Shenyang 110158, China
^2.Institute of Metal Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, China

Cite this article:

XU Haoyu, LUO Shenggui, ZHANG Hao, QIN Yanli, NI Dingrui, XIAO Bolv, MA Zongyi. Microstructure and Properties of B₄C/AlSi10Mg Composite Prepared by Laser Powder Bed Fusion. Chinese Journal of Materials Research, 2025, 39(12): 909-917.

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Abstract

The 7% B₄C/AlSi10Mg (mass fraction) composite was fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technology. The process parameters such as laser power and scanning speed were optimized. The influence of line energy density on density, microstructure, mechanical properties, and thermophysical characteristics of the acquired composite was assessed. Results indicate that with the rising line energy density, the density of the composite increases initially then decreases, reaching peak value of 97% by 196.4 J/m. High-temperature diffusion of C and B elements from micron-sized B₄C particles induced interfacial reactions, generating the in-situ formation of Al₃BC, AlB₂ phases, and trace Al₄C₃ phases. The acquired composite exhibited room-temperature tensile strength of ~487 MPa, micro-Vickers hardness of ~192HV, specific stiffness of 31.81 m²/s², and thermal expansion coefficient ranging from 11.9 × 10^-6/°C to 21.1 × 10^-6/^oC between 22-400 ^oC. The average thermal conductivity measured as 107.6 W·m^-1·K^-1. The high specific stiffness and low thermal expansion coefficient of this composite make it suitable for manufacturing space optical-mechanical structural components.

Key words: composite laser powder bed fusion microstructure mechanical properties thermophysical properties

Received: 04 March 2025

ZTFLH:

TG146.2

Fund: National Key R & D Program(2023YFB4603301);National Natural Science Foundation of China(U21A2043)

Corresponding Authors: QIN Yanli, Tel: 13504903919, E-mail: qylndr0628@163.com

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	XU Haoyu
	LUO Shenggui
	ZHANG Hao
	QIN Yanli
	NI Dingrui
	XIAO Bolv
	MA Zongyi

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https://www.cjmr.org/EN/10.11901/1005.3093.2025.097 OR https://www.cjmr.org/EN/Y2025/V39/I12/909

Table 1 Chemical composition of AlSi10Mg alloy powder

Fig.1 Powder morphology (a) AlSi10Mg, (b) B₄C, (c) B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite powder

Table 2 LPBF forming process parameters

Fig.2 Variation of density of B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite with linear energy density

Fig.3 XRD patterns of B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite

Fig.4 SEM images (a, b), EBSD images (c, d), and pole figures (e, f) of AlSi10Mg alloy (a, c, e) and B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite (b, d, f)

Fig.5 Statistical analysis (a, b) and grain boundary morphologies (c, d) of AlSi10Mg alloy (a, c) and B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite (b, d)

Fig.6 SEM images (a, b), an inverse pole figure X-ray (IPFX) map (c), a phase diagram (d), and an EDS spectra (e) of the B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite

Fig.7 TEM images and EDS spectra of the B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite

Fig.8 High-resolution images (a), diffraction patterns (b), and fast Fourier transform (FFT) of the high-resolution images (c) of Al₃BC along the [100] zone axis and Al along the [110] zone axis

Table 3 Specific stiffness of commonly used optical and mechanical structural component materials^[19,20]

Fig.9 Typical tensile curves of LPBF-formed B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite

Fig.10 Fracture morphology of B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite formed by LPBF

Fig.11 Thermal expansion coefficient of B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite formed by LPBF

Fig.12 Thermal conductivity of B₄C/AlSi10Mg composite

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