Customized mechanical properties and tailored microstructures in stainless steel 316L-Aluminium alloys via Laser Powder Bed Fusion and ex situ / in situ heat treatments

This study proposes a new combination of 316L stainless steel with less than 2% aluminium, showing the possibility for readily tunable microstructures with versatile mechanical properties as-built or after heat treatment. This new alloy solidifies into massive BCC delta-ferrite and fine FCC gamma-austenite grains. NiAl B2 precipitates from medium-temperature furnace heat treatments strengthen the BCC phase to 708 HV. In addition, in situ selective laser heat treatments allow transformation of columnar to equiaxed microstructure in a very short time. This unique alloy therefore appears well suited for tailoring local mechanical properties of phases through appropriate ex situ or in situ heat treatments, paving the way for designing composite-like materials within a single build. 

This page contains scanning electron microscopy data and tensile tests data from the paper 'Customized mechanical properties and tailored microstructures in stainless steel 316L-Aluminium alloys via Laser Powder Bed Fusion and ex situ / in situ heat treatments' for allowing data availability.