Speaker
Description
Refractory metals are attracting increasing interest for additive manufacturing applications in extreme thermal environments, owing to their high melting temperature, thermal stability and corrosion resistance. Among these, tantalum and Ta-W alloys are promising candidates for components operating under demanding thermal and chemical conditions.
This work investigates the LPBF processing and characterization of pure Ta and Ta-10W alloy produced on an EOS M100 system. Laser power and scanning speed were systematically varied to optimize process parameters and evaluate the different response of the two materials to the same manufacturing conditions.
For pure tantalum, relative densities approaching 99.9% were achieved, enabling comprehensive material characterization which confirmed the suitability of LPBF-produced tantalum for extreme-environment applications.
The same optimization approach was extended to Ta-10W alloy, for which relative densities approaching 99.8% were obtained within the optimized process window. Microstructural characterization by optical microscopy and SEM was performed on both materials, providing insight into the effect of tungsten addition on melt pool morphology, defect distribution and microstructural development. These results demonstrate the feasibility of producing high-density Ta-W components by LPBF and establish the foundation for further characterization currently underway.
The results underline that in Ta-based refractory alloys, process parameter optimization governs not only densification but also melt pool stability and defect formation, key aspects for the deployment of additively manufactured refractory components in demanding applications.
| Speaker Country | Italy |
|---|---|
| Would you like to publish your paper in the special issue of BHM "Berg- und Hüttenmännische Monatshefte" | Yes |