Mechanical and Electrochemical Properties Comparison of Additively Manufactured Ti-6Al-4V Alloys by Electron Beam Melting and Selective Laser Melting

Abstract

This work involves additively manufactured Ti-6Al-4V alloys, which are widely used in automobile, biomedical, and aircraft components for a comparison of the microstructure–properties relationship between electron beam melted (EBM) and selective laser melted (SLM) alloys after hot isostatic pressing treatment. We carried out microstructural, mechanical, and electrochemical measurements on both alloys. They showed comparable α and β phase contents with slightly higher lattice parameters in the EBM sample compared to the SLM. The EBM sample showed higher yield strength and uniform elongation due to the activation of multistage defects-driven strengthening and strain hardening mechanisms. Cracking during the tensile test nucleated mainly at the α phase near high-mechanical mismatch α/β interfaces. This mechanism was consistent with the reported generation of hetero-deformation-induced strengthening and strain hardening. Both alloys showed similar electrochemical behavior, but the SLM sample was more susceptible to corrosion than the EBM alloy.