Laser Powder Bed Fusion of Titanium-Coated Diamond-Reinforced Aluminum Matrix Composites

Diamond-reinforced aluminum matrix composite (DAMC) presents superior thermal conductivity and strength/weight ratio. Laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technology could offer new possibilities for these materials by enabling fabrication of parts with complex geometries and desired compositions. This article studies different diamond content (3 and 5 wt%) and diamond surface treating (titanium-coated or uncoated) on the formation behavior of DAMC produced by L-PBF. A comprehensive analysis is conducted to examine different defect generation mechanisms encountered during L-PBF. Additionally, process parameters for DAMC with varying diamond contents are optimized. It indicates that the DAMC with 3 wt% titanium-coated diamond achieves a high relative density of 99.0%. Better thermal conductivity and strength are obtained compared to the base material, AlSi10Mg alloys. The wear performance of the composites is evaluated using a ball-on-disk tribometer. It shows excellent wear resistance, with a reduction in wear rate by 94.8–96.2% compared to the base AlSi10Mg alloy.