Decoupling Strengthening Mechanisms and Anisotropy in Laser Powder Bed Fusion Processed Al0.3CoCrFeNiMn High-Entropy Alloy
摘要
The application of laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)-fabricated Al-containing high-entropy alloys (HEAs) is constrained by narrow processing windows and unclear anisotropy mechanisms. In this study, a high-density (99.1%) single-phase FCC Al0.3CoCrFeNiMn HEA was successfully fabricated via LPBF. Through process optimization, an optimal volumetric energy density of 91.7 J/mm3 was utilized to effectively balance the formation of lack-of-fusion defects and thermal cracks. Further microstructural analysis revealed that the XOZ plane featured coarse columnar grains (~20.4 μm) with a strong {100} < 001 > fiber texture, whereas the XOY plane consisted of finer equiaxed grains (~12.3 μm). Consequently, mechanical testing demonstrated significant anisotropy, where horizontally built specimens exhibited superior yield (596.5 MPa) and ultimate tensile strengths (738.3 MPa), surpassing their vertically built counterparts by approximately 15.3% and 21.3%, respectively, while the latter possessed higher ductility (43.7%). Crucially, quantitative decoupling based on the linear superposition principle identified dislocation strengthening as the dominant mechanism. This analysis reveals that the observed strength anisotropy is attributed to the synergistic differences in dislocation density, grain size, and crystallographic texture between the two orientations.