Selective electron beam melting of TiAl alloy: Microstructure evolution, phase transformation and microhardness

In this research, a Ti-47Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy was fabricated by selective electron beam melting (SEBM). The microstructures at different heights of SEBM-produced TiAl alloy sample and their contribution to microhardness were investigated. The results revealed that the last deposited layers displayed near lamellar structure with fine α₂ lamellae. Lamellar colonies degraded at the height of 19 mm of the as-built sample, accompanied with the α₂ lamellae decomposition and B2 precipitation along primary α₂ lamellae. Meanwhile, equiaxed γ and blocky B2 phase dispersed on the colony boundaries. Lamellar colonies further degraded and colony boundaries further coarsen at the heights of 15 mm and 5 mm due to the in-situ heat treatment during SEBM process. Three kinds of phase transformations could be observed during SEBM process, which were α₂ → γ, α₂ → B2 and α₂ + γ → B2. The microhardness exhibited slight fluctuation as the building height increased from 3 mm to 19 mm, and the microhardness rapidly increased with the building height increasing from 19 mm to 20 mm. Eventually, the mechanism of microstructure evolution during SEBM process was discussed in detail.