Avoiding abnormal grain growth when annealing selective laser melted pure titanium by promoting nucleation

In this study, the recrystallization process of selective laser melted (SLM) commercially pure titanium (CPTi) was followed by a quasi-in-situ electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) method at 800 degrees C and 700 degrees C. Abnormal grain growth (AGG) initially emerges at the beginning of annealing at 800 degrees C and is primarily caused by strain-induced boundary migration (SIBM). However, at the beginning of annealing at 700 degrees C, many small equiaxed grains are formed due to more recrystallization nucleation, followed by the formation of AGG resulting from the secondary recrystallization. Based on these findings, appropriate control of the annealing time at 700 degrees C can mitigate AGG to obtain fine equiaxed grains with weak texture to enhance the tensile properties of SLM CP-Ti. (c) 2021 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study showed that appropriate control of annealing time at 700 degrees Celsius can mitigate abnormal grain growth in SLM CP-Ti, resulting in fine equiaxed grains and improved tensile properties.