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 Al_mFe-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 HV_0.1.