Laser powder bed fusion of the Mn-Cu alloys: Printability, microstructure, and mechanical properties

Mn-Cu alloys with high Mn contents have good damping capacity but poor workability and mechanical properties. In this research, laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) was applied to fabricate the Mn-Cu alloys (Mn63Cu37, Mn73Cu27, and Mn82Cu13) based on mixed element powders. The printability, microstructure and mechanical properties of the as-fabricated Mn-Cu alloys were investigated through a series of characterization methods. The results indicate that the Mn-Cu alloys with high relative densities (99.76-99.85%) can be fabricated using the optimal processing parameters. The as-fabricated Mn-Cu alloys show higher strengths (537.5-589.6 MPa) and yield strengths (404.0-440.1 MPa) than those of commercial Mn-Cu alloys fabricated by conventional methods. The tensile strength presents an overall downward trend with increasing Mn content. Thus, LPBF can be considered as a promising method to fabricate Mn-Cu alloys with high Mn contents. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

In this research, laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) was used to fabricate Mn-Cu alloys with high Mn contents. The results showed that the alloys with high relative densities and improved mechanical properties can be obtained by optimizing the processing parameters, indicating the promising potential of LPBF in fabricating Mn-Cu alloys.