journal article·2026-07Open access

Additively manufactured Al–Mg–Ca–Sc alloy with hierarchical microstructure: strong and ductile at room and elevated temperatures

Shasha Zhang, Chenyu Yan, Man Long, Zhengjun Yao, Zili Liu, Xiebin Wang, Xiangshan Kong, Lei Cheng, Nikolay Belov, Torgom Akopyan, Stefan Pogatscher, Quancheng Zhang, Linfei Shuai, Tianlin Huang

Abstract

An Al-Mg-Ca-Sc alloy with low hot cracking susceptibility was designed and fabricated by laser powder bed fusion technology. A hierarchical microstructure, i.e., solute Mg, dispersed nanoscale Al3(Sc, Zr) precipitates in the grains and a discontinuous network of Al4Ca eutectic phases along grain boundaries, was constructed. The mechanical properties of the additively manufactured (AMed) alloy showed superior strength and ductility. The strength-elongation product of the AMed alloy is over eight times higher than that of the cast alloy at both room and elevated temperatures. The alloy retains 66% of its ultimate strength due to the high thermal stability of the microstructure whereas only 31% was left for the AMed Scalmalloy, when the temperature increased from room temperature to 200 ℃. Ab initio calculations revealed a strong grain boundary segregation tendency for Ca, whereas the segregation tendency was weak for other elements, unraveling the origin of the hierarchical microstructure.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Aluminum Alloys Composites Properties · Additive Manufacturing Materials and Processes · Aluminum Alloy Microstructure Properties

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