Effect of heat treatment temperature on the microstructure and microhardness of TiC/Ti6Al4V composite manufactured with laser metal deposition

Abstract

This study presented the investigation of the influence of post heat treatment temperature on the microstructure and hardness of TiC/Ti6Al4V composite manufactured with laser metal deposition. Heat treatment was performed to improve the microstructural homogeneity. It was found that the addition of TiC into Ti6Al4V results in the formation of a Widmanstätten microstructure with different grain sizes on the matrix. Heat treatment of the TiC/Ti6Al4V promoted phase transformations from acicular in the as built to lamella (α + β) and equiaxial phases in the heat-treated samples. The 900°C heat treated sample showed a uniform distribution of α and β phases, and 1100°C showed an increase in β phases, which resulted in an equiaxial microstructure. Moreover, Heat treatment at 1100°C resulted in the highest microhardness of 665±13HV.