Al-Fe-Ce alloy processed by laser powder bed fusion: microstructure and mechanical characterization

Laser powder bed fusion for metals (PBF-LB/M) was employed to consolidate an Al-8 %Fe-4 %Ce (wt %) alloy originally developed for conventional powder metallurgy processes. This study focuses on the characterization of the as-built microstructure and its mechanical properties at room temperature. Although its high tendency to solid state cracking, crack-free samples with a density of 99.5 % were successfully produced. The as-built microstructure consists of columnar grains, with melt pools containing a high-volume fraction of reinforcing intermetallic phases dispersed in the Al matrix. High-resolution backscattered electron imaging revealed that the melt pool boundary region consists of a cellular structure enriched in Ce and Fe, within which dispersoids are distributed. Conversely, the melt pool center exhibits an ultrafine cellular microstructure. Multiple intermetallic phases were identified using X-ray diffraction, including: the stable phases Al13Fe4 and Al11Ce3 and the metastable ...