Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Titanium Alloys Produced by Additive Technologies: New Approaches and Promising Areas of Research

Abstract

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is a process where a part is produced layer by layer, and represents a promising approach for designing components close to their final shape. Titanium alloys produced by additive manufacturing find application in various industries. This overview examines the features of the formation of the microstructure and properties in Ti alloys synthesized with the use of powder and wire laser additive technologies, as well as solid-phase methods of additive manufacturing such as friction stir additive manufacturing. Their main drawbacks and advantages are discussed, as applied to Ti alloys. The main approaches to solving the problem of increasing the strength properties of the synthesized Ti workpieces are considered. The authors of this overview propose a new area of research in the field of the application of additive technologies for producing ultrafine-grained Ti semi-products and parts with enhanced performance characteristics. Research in this area opens up prospects for designing heavily loaded complex-profile products for the aerospace, oil and gas, and biomedical industries.