Characterization of Al–Fe–V–Si heat-resistant aluminum alloy components fabricated by selective laser melting

Heat-resistant Al–8.5Fe–1.3V–1.7Si (wt%) aluminum alloy components were fabricated using selective laser melting (SLM). The as-built samples were examined in terms of density, chemical composition, surface morphologies, microstructures, and mechanical behavior. The results show that nearly full dense samples with the relative density of 99.3% can be produced. The chemical composition of the deposited material is close to that of the powder, presenting a limited aluminum loss and a low oxygen pickup. The SLM specimens consist of three typical zones: the fusion zone (FZ), the remelting border zone (RBZ), and the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Ultrafine continuous cellular α-Al networks are observed in the FZ. The HAZ exhibits fine rounded Al12(Fe,V)3Si particles (10–70 nm) distributed homogeneously in the α-Al matrix, while the rectangle-like AlmFe-type phase (m= 4.0–4.4) with 100–500 nm in size is preferably formed in the RBZ. The microhardness of the parts shows directional independent, with a mean value of 246 HV0.1.