Microstructural evolution modelling and low-stress fatigue performance of bimodal-structured Al-Mg-Sc-Zr alloy produced by laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing

Coarse – and fine-grained bimodal-structures in a Al-Mg base alloy with rare earth elements of Sc/Zr is produced due to the ultrafast nonequilibrium solidification occurs in laser-induced molten pools during laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing. A novel high-fidelity cellular automaton (CA) algorithm incorporating numerical calculations of molt-pool temperature fields elucidates the formation and evolution of the bimodal-structure. Subsequent heat treatment induces precipitation of Al3(Sc/Zr) particles within the grains, synergistically enhancing strength and plasticity of the LPBF-processed alloy. The crystal plastic finite element method (CPFEM) is used to reveal the synergistic effect between the strength and plasticity during the material tensile procedure. The bimodal-structure exhibits good fatigue resistance but intriguing anisotropy under low stress cyclic loading. It is proved that differentiated distribution patterns relative to the principal stress direction of the bimodal-structure have a significant influence on its fatigue performance. Numerical evolutionary of the bimodal grain deformation reflects this phenomenon.