Grain refinement in laser manufactured Al-based composites with TiB2 ceramic

Al-based composites reinforced with TiB2 ceramics (1 wt.%, 2 wt.% and 5 wt.%) have been manufactured through selective laser melting (SLM). The results show that the densification, microstructure and mechanical properties of the SLM-processed composites are sensitive to the ceramic particle fraction. The average grain size of the composites decreased from ∼6.32 to ∼1.55 μm with increasing TiB2 fraction from 1 to 5 wt.% respectively. Fine equiaxed grains with narrow size distribution were obtained for composites with relatively high amount of TiB2 particles. The effects of TiB2 ceramic fraction on grain refinement and strengthening mechanisms of SLM-processed composites were discussed. Al-based composite with 2 wt.% TiB2 ceramic was determined to be optimum, especially in the view of manufacturing quality, grain refinement and mechanical properties. The composites at an optimum fraction of 2 wt.% TiB2 exhibited high microhardness of ∼127 HV0.2, tensile strength of ∼444 MPa, yield strength of ∼283 MPa and elongation of ∼4.2% owing to collective effects of dispersion and grain refinement strengthening as well as high degree of densification. This study can readily offer reference values for laser additive manufacturing of other metal matrix composites to obtain a good compromise of strength and ductility by tuning reinforcement fraction.