Crack inhibition and mechanical property enhancement of a CM247LC alloy fabricated by laser powder bed fusion through remelting strategy

High cracking susceptibility arising from the high thermal gradients is a critical issue of high γ'-fraction Ni-base superalloys fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Here in, laser remelting was used to inhibit cracking and enhance the strength-ductility synergy of additively manufactured CM247LC alloy by LPBF. The effects of laser remelting with different energy densities and scan strategies on microstructure, cracking behavior and mechanical properties of LPBF-processed CM247LC superalloy were systematically investigated. The crack inhibition mechanisms of laser remelting during the LPBF process were revealed. Low energy density of remelting and scan strategy with a rotation of 90° between remelting and prior melting were promising for decreasing the crack density. The crack inhibition caused by laser remelting could be attributed to the partial elimination of defects (e.g., lack-of-fusion pores), the mitigation of the segregation of elements, the backfilling of the grain boundaries and liquid film, and the reduction of the residual stress and the high-angle grain boundaries (HAGBs). Enhanced mechanical strength and ductility (ultimate tensile strength of 1280 MPa, yield strength of 885 MPa, and elongation of 11.9%) of LPBF-processed CM247LC samples were obtained by optimized-remelting parameters. This work demonstrated the potential of laser remelting in improving the printability of high γ'-fraction Ni-base superalloys fabricated by LPBF.