In-situ elimination of β-flecks in additively manufactured Ti-3.5 wt% Fe alloy

Meta-stable β titanium alloys that feature excellent mechanical properties are of great interest for a range of engineering applications. In particular, Fe containing titanium alloy is one of the most promising alloy systems because Fe is the most economic β stabilizer. However, Fe solute is highly prone to segregation during casting, which leads to the formation of "β flecks" in the subsequent thermo-mechanical treatment and deteriorates the fatigue properties. This paper aims to eliminate β flecks in Ti-3.5 wt%Fe alloy fabricated by Laser Directed Energy Deposition (L-DED), that utilises the high cooling rate during solidification and multiple thermal cycles after solidification. SEM and EDS analysis established that a large β-fleck free zone can be achieved in as-fabricated Ti-3.5 wt%Fe thin-walled samples. Combining the finite element temperature field simulation results and the one-dimensional dynamic diffusion model, the elimination of β flecks is well rationalized. The current work provides a paradigm to evaluate the segregation elimination in the additively manufactured alloy components.