Erosion Resistance and Particle Erosion-Induced Tensile Embrittlement of 3D-Selective Laser Melting Inconel 718 Superalloy

Abstract

We used selective laser melting (SLM) Inconel 718 (coded AS) to carry out three heat treatment processes: (1) double aging (coded A), (2) solid solution + A (coded SA), (3) homogenization + SA (coded HSA) in order to investigate the effects of microstructure changes and tensile strength enhancement on erosion resistance. The as-SLM IN718 and three heat-treated specimens were subjected to clarify the effects of erosion-induced phase transformation on tensile mechanical properties. All heat-treated specimens showed better erosion resistance than as-SLM IN718 did at all impact angles. The as-SLM IN718 and the three heat-treated specimens produced new γ′ phase or metal-oxide via particle erosion, which increased the surface hardness of the material. The thickness of the erosion affected zone is 200 μm, which is the main cause of tensile embrittlement.