SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HYBRID AL/AL_3NI FOAM MATERIALS VIA LENS~® DEPOSITION OF NI-COATED AL POWDER

摘要

In this study, Laser Engineered Net-shaping (LENS~®) technique was used to synthesize hybrid Al/Al_3Ni foam materials from Ni-coated 6061 Al powder. During LENS~® processing, Ni reacted with the Al matrix, leading to the formation of an intermetallic compound, Al_3Ni, which can effectively behave as a reinforcement phase, while a high volume of pores (up to 60%) was formed in-situ. The microstructure of the as-deposited Al/Al_3Ni foams was characterized using SEM, EDS, and XRD techniques. The microstructural evolution, including intermetallic compound Al3Ni formation, and porosity variation was analyzed on the basis of the thermal field that was present during deposition. The mechanical response of the as-deposited material was characterized using compression and hardness testing, indicating that the strength and hardness are 190 MPa and 320 HV, respectively.