Rapid Optimization of Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a Selective Laser Melted AlMgScZr Alloy Under Electropulsing Treatment
Source abstract
Abstract
Owing to the insufficient strength of selective laser melted (SLM) AlMgScZr alloy, an effective post‐treatment is required. Electropulsing treatment (EPT) offers distinct advantages over conventional thermal methods, such as rapid processing and energy efficiency. Accordingly, EPT was applied to the SLM AlMgScZr alloy, and its effects on microstructure evolution, mechanical properties, and strengthening mechanisms were systematically investigated. The heterogeneous microstructure, which consisted of coarse columnar grains (CGs) and fine equiaxed grains (EGs), remained unchanged, whereas the precipitates underwent remarkable evolution as the Sc/Zr‐rich and Fe/Mn‐rich precipitates were produced and uniformly distributed after EPT at a set current of 100 A. Compared with the as‐built specimen, the yield strength and tensile strength increased after EPT. Thermodynamic and kinetic analyses were carried out to explicate the intrinsic mechanisms of precipitation behaviors under EPT. Furthermore, the contributions of solid‐solution strengthening, grain‐boundary strengthening, dislocation strengthening, and precipitation strengthening were discussed for both the as‐built and V‐EPT100 specimens. In general, EPT demonstrates promising potential as an effective method for enhancing the strength of additively manufactured aluminum alloys.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Electromagnetic Effects on Materials · Surface Treatment and Residual Stress · Aluminum Alloy Microstructure Properties
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Suzhou Laboratory Jiangsu 215123 China
Yangtze Delta Region Institute of Advanced Materials Suzhou China
Funding
National Key Research and Development Program of China · Basic Research Program of Jiangsu Province
References (57)
Show source-provided references
1. Additive Manufacturing of Metals10.1016/j.actamat.2016.07.019 ↗
2. I.Gibson D.Rosen B.Stucker andM.Khorasani Additive Manufacturing Technologies(Eds:I.Gibson D.Rosen B.Stucker andM.Khorasani) (Springer Cham 2021) 23.10.1007/978-3-030-56127-7 ↗
3. Exploration on Mechanical Response Mechanism of Laser Melting Deposited TiBW /Ti–6Al–4V via In Situ Characterisation Technology10.1080/17452759.2025.2554854 ↗
4. Review of Selective Laser Melting: Materials and Applications10.1063/1.4935926 ↗
5. Machine Learning Assisted Quality Control in Metal Additive Manufacturing: A Review10.1016/j.apmate.2025.100342 ↗
6. A Comprehensive Overview of Additive Manufacturing Aluminum Alloys: Classifications, Structures, Properties and Defects Elimination10.1016/j.msea.2024.147464 ↗
7. 3D Printing of High‐Strength Aluminium Alloys10.1038/nature23894 ↗
8. The Influence of Aging Treatment on the Microstructure Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of AlMgScZr Alloy Prepared by LPBF
9. Microstructural Features of Sc‐ and Zr‐Modified Al‐Mg Alloys Processed by Selective Laser Melting10.1016/j.matdes.2016.11.040 ↗
10. Strength‐Ductility Synergy of Selective Laser Melted Al‐Mg‐Sc‐Zr Alloy with a Heterogeneous Grain Structure10.1016/j.addma.2020.101260 ↗
11. Developing a High‐Strength Al‐Mg‐Si‐Sc‐Zr Alloy for Selective Laser Melting: Crack‐Inhibiting and Multiple Strengthening Mechanisms10.1016/j.actamat.2020.03.060 ↗
12. Review of High‐Strength Aluminium Alloys for Additive Manufacturing by Laser Powder Bed Fusion10.1016/j.matdes.2022.110779 ↗
13. The Influence Mechanisms of Re‐Fused Scanning on the Surface Roughness, Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Processed AlMgScZr Alloy10.1016/j.optlastec.2024.111060 ↗
14. Rapidly Modifying Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of AA7150 Al Alloy Processed with Electropulsing Treatment10.1016/j.jmst.2021.03.060 ↗
15. Defect‐Healing of a Laser‐Powder Bed Fusion Ti6Al4V Alloy via Electro‐Assisted Micro‐Forging10.1016/j.matchar.2023.113298 ↗
16. Prolonged Fatigue Life in Aluminum Clad Steel by Electropulsing Treatment: Retardation of Interface‐Microcrack Formation10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2022.107376 ↗
17. Rapid Hardening of AISI 4340 Steel Induced by Electropulsing Treatment10.1016/j.msea.2018.04.013 ↗
18. Electromagnetic Treatment Enhancing Performance of Metal Materials: A Review10.1016/j.pmatsci.2025.101488 ↗
19. Effects of Electropulsing on the Microstructure and Microhardness of a Selective Laser Melted Ti6Al4V Alloy10.1016/j.jallcom.2021.160044 ↗
20. Variant Selection Induced by Electropulsing: Optimization in the Microstructure of Selective Laser Melted Ti‐6Al‐4 V Alloy10.1016/j.jmst.2023.03.015 ↗
21. Exploiting Electropulses to Optimize Microstructure in Ti–6Al–4V Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting10.1007/s12540-023-01544-1 ↗
22. Constructing a Novel Bi‐Lamellar Microstructure in Selective Laser Melted Ti‐6Al‐4V Alloy via Electropulsing for Improvement of Strength and Corrosion Resistance10.1016/j.jmst.2023.12.060 ↗
23. Effect of Electropulsing on Anistropy in Strength of Laser Metal Deposited Ti‐6Al‐4V alloy10.1016/S1003-6326(22)65967-3 ↗
24. Electro‐Strengthening of the Additively Manufactured Ti–6Al–4V Alloy10.1016/j.msea.2020.140062 ↗
25. Rapid Microstructure Homogenization of a Laser Melting Deposition Additive Manufactured Ti‐6.5Al‐3.5Mo‐1.5Zr‐0.3Si Alloy by Electropulsing10.3390/ma15207103 ↗
26. Effect of Electroshocking Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Laser Melting Deposited Near‐β Ti‐55531 Thin‐Wall10.1016/j.jallcom.2022.168187 ↗
27. Electroshock Treatment Dependent Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Properties of Near‐β Titanium Alloy Manufactured by Directed Energy Deposition10.1016/j.matdes.2021.110286 ↗
28. Improve the Microstructure and Properties of Al0.5CoCrFeNi Compositionally Complex Alloy Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting with Electropulsing Treatment10.1016/j.msea.2023.146017 ↗
29. Tailoring Microstructure and Martensitic Transformation of Selective Laser Melted Ti49.1Ni50.9 Alloy through Electropulsing Treatment10.1016/j.mtcomm.2022.103437 ↗
30. Rapid Microstructure Modification of Laser Powder‐Bed Fused Superalloy IN718 Using High‐Density Pulsed Electric Current10.1016/j.mtcomm.2023.106892 ↗
31. Microstructural Modification of Additively Manufactured Metals by Electropulsing10.1016/j.addma.2020.101128 ↗
32. Segregation in Al3(Sc,Zr) Precipitates in Al–Sc–Zr Alloys10.1016/j.scriptamat.2004.11.021 ↗
33. Heterogeneous Microstructure and Voids Dependence of Tensile Deformation in a Selective Laser Melted AlSi10Mg Alloy10.1016/j.msea.2020.140109 ↗
34. Microstructure and Fracture Behavior of 316L Austenitic Stainless Steel Produced by Selective Laser Melting10.1016/j.jmst.2016.06.016 ↗
35. Precipitation Behavior, Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Al‐4.8Mg‐0.82Sc‐0.28Zr Alloy Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting10.1016/j.msea.2022.142949 ↗
36. Microstructure Characterization and Mechanical Performance of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Processed AlMgScZr Alloy: Effect of Heat Treatment10.1016/j.msea.2022.144501 ↗
37. Microstructure, Tensile Properties and Heat‐Resistant Properties of Selective Laser Melted AlMgScZr Alloy under Long‐Term Aging Treatment10.1016/j.msea.2021.142527 ↗
38. Electric Current Induced Precipitation in Maraging Steel10.1016/j.scriptamat.2018.05.013 ↗
39. Effect of the Heat Treatment on the Mechanical Properties and Microstructure of Scalmalloy Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting (SLM) under Certified Conditions10.1016/j.matchar.2022.112549 ↗
40. The Influence of Building Parameters on Residual Stress, Interfacial Structure, and Cracking Control of Laser Powder Bed Fusion Processed Ti6Al4V/AlMgScZr Multi‐Material Parts10.1016/j.jmatprotec.2024.118479 ↗
41. Grain Refinement and Formation of Ultrafine‐Grained Microstructure in a Low‐Carbon Steel under Electropulsing10.1557/JMR.2002.0311 ↗
42. Influences of Fe, Si and Homogenization on Electrical Conductivity and Mechanical Properties of Dilute Al–Mg–Si Alloy10.1016/j.jallcom.2016.01.110 ↗
43. Copper Electromigration in Aluminum10.1063/1.323689 ↗
44. Effects of Electric Current on Solid State Phase Transformations in Metals10.1016/S0921-5093(00)00780-2 ↗
45. Overview no. 4910.1016/0001-6160(86)90001-5 ↗
46. Effect of Electropulse on Solid Solution Treatment of 6061 Aluminum Alloy10.1016/j.jallcom.2014.07.062 ↗
47. Strengthening Mechanisms of an Al‐Mg‐Sc‐Zr Alloy10.1016/S1359-6454(02)00258-6 ↗
48. Atom Probe Tomographic Study of a Friction‐Stir‐Processed Al–Mg–Sc Alloy10.1016/j.actamat.2012.09.015 ↗
49. Superior Mechanical Properties of a Selective‐Laser‐Melted AlZnMgCuScZr Alloy Enabled by a Tunable Hierarchical Microstructure and Dual‐Nanoprecipitation10.1016/j.mattod.2021.11.019 ↗
50. Evolution of Dislocations During the Rapid Solidification in Additive Manufacturing10.1038/s41467-025-59988-5 ↗
51. X‐Ray Line Broadening from Filed Aluminium and Wolfram10.1016/0001-6160(53)90006-6 ↗
52. Stacking Faults in Face‐Centred Cubic Metals and Alloys10.1080/14786435708242709 ↗
53. Kinetics of Flow and Strain‐Hardening10.1016/0001-6160(81)90112-7 ↗
54. Mechanical Behavior and Strengthening Mechanisms in Ultrafine Grain Precipitation‐Strengthened Aluminum Alloy10.1016/j.actamat.2013.09.042 ↗
55. Precipitation Strengthening at Ambient and Elevated Temperatures of Heat‐Treatable Al(Sc) Alloys10.1016/S1359-6454(02)00201-X ↗
56. Counting the Coupled Strengthening of α‐Al(Fe,Mn)Si Dispersoids and β″ Precipitates in an Al‐Mg‐Si‐Mn‐Fe Alloy: Optimizing the Solid‐Solution Temperature10.1016/j.msea.2025.148051 ↗
57. Addition Rules and the Contribution of δ’ Precipitates to Strengthening of Aged Al‐Li‐Cu Alloys10.1016/0001-6160(88)90182-4 ↗