Hybrid additive manufacturing of hot working tool steel H13 with dissimilar base bodies using Laser-based Powder Bed Fusion

Hybrid additive manufacturing (HAM) describes the combination of additively built structures onto a conventionally manufactured base body. The advantages of both manufacturing processes are combined in one process chain. As a result, new applications can be achieved with higher cost-effectiveness. With the Additive Manufacturing (AM) process a bonding zone is created that is comparable to a welded joint. In order to evaluate the quality and mechanical properties of the bonding zone, two steels (42CrMo4 and 25CrMo4) are investigated as base body materials with the hot working tool steel X40CrMoV5-1 (AISI H13) for the AM structure. Process parameters for Laser-based Powder Bed Fusion of X40CrMo4V5-1 are developed to achieve a crack and defect free structure as well as an optimized bonding zone in dependency of the base body material. Furthermore, the chemical and mechanical properties are examined in the as-built and heat-treated state. It is observed that a crack-free material bonding is possible and samples with relative densities above 99.5% are obtained. The size of the bonding zone depends on the material of the base body as well as post-process heat treatment. An average hardness of 600 HV1 can be achieved in the “as-built” state.

Characterization of the AZ31/AW-6060 Joint Fabricated using Compound Casting with a Zn Interlayer at Relatively Low Temperature Conditions

The work deals with the fabrication of a joint between AZ31 magnesium alloy and AW-6060 aluminium alloy with the use of a Zn interlayer. The Zn layer was produced on the surface of an AW-6060 alloy insert by diffusion bonding. The insert was then placed inside a steel mould and kept at room temperature. The joint was produced using compound casting by filling the mould with liquid AZ31 alloy, heated to 650 °C. The microstructure of the bonding zone formed between joined alloys was analysed using an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope. The properties of the joint were examined using Vickers microhardness measurements and simple shear strength testing. As a result of the experiment, the 400 μm thick bonding zone with a complex microstructure was formed between the alloys. The microstructural analysis showed that the bonding zone reveals a high concentration of Zn and Mg. The layers of a eutectoid (a MgZn phase + a solid solution of Al and Zn in Mg), a Mg5Al2Zn2 phase and a Mg(Al,Zn)2 phase with fine particles of other phases were observed there. The bonding zone was characterized by relatively high microhardness, which was related to the brittleness of the constituents. The shear strength of the examined joint was 19.6 ± 2.5 MPa.

Characterisation at the Bonding Zone between Fly Ash Based Geopolymer Repair Materials (GRM) and Ordinary Portland Cement Concrete (OPCC)

In recent years, research and development of geopolymers has gained significant interest in the fields of repairs and restoration. This paper investigates the application of a geopolymer as a repair material by implementation of high-calcium fly ash (FA) as a main precursor, activated by a sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate solution. Three methods of concrete substrate surface preparation were cast and patched: as-cast against ordinary Portland cement concrete (OPCC), with drilled holes, wire-brushed, and left as-cast against the OPCC grade 30. This study indicated that FA-based geopolymer repair materials (GRMs) possessed very high bonding strength at early stages and that the behavior was not affected significantly by high surface treatment roughness. In addition, the investigations using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy have revealed that the geopolymer repair material became chemically bonded to the OPC concrete substrate, due to the formation of a C–A–S–H gel. Fundamentally, the geopolymer network is composed of tetrahedral anions (SiO4)4− and (AlO4)5− sharing the oxygen, which requires positive ions such as Na+, K+, Li+, Ca2+, Na+, Ba2+, NH4+, and H3O+. The availability of calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) at the surface of the OPCC substrate, which was rich in calcium ions (Ca2+), reacted with the geopolymer; this compensated the electron vacancies of the framework cavities at the bonding zone between the GRM and the OPCC substrate.

Characterization of the Bonding Zone in AZ91/AlSi12 Bimetals Fabricated by Liquid-Solid Compound Casting Using Unmodified and Thermally Modified AlSi12 Alloy

Liquid-solid compound casting was used to produce two types of AZ91/AlSi12 joints. The magnesium alloy was the cast material poured onto a solid aluminium alloy insert with an unmodified or modified structure. The bonding zone obtained for the unmodified insert was not uniform in thickness. There was a eutectic region (Mg17Al12 + a solid solution of Al in Mg) in the area closest to the AZ91. The region adjacent to the AlSi12 had a non-uniform structure with partly reacted Si particles surrounded by the Mg2Si phase and agglomerates of Mg2Si particles unevenly distributed in the Mg-Al intermetallic phases matrix. Cracks were detected in this region. In the AZ91/AlSi12 joint produced with a thermally modified AlSi12 insert, the bonding zone was uniform in thickness. The region closest to the AZ91 alloy also had a eutectic structure. However, significant microstructural changes were reported in the region adjacent to the modified AlSi12 alloy. The microstructure of the region was uniform with no cracks; the fine Mg2Si particles were evenly distributed over the Mg-Al intermetallic phase matrix. The study revealed that in both cases the microhardness of the bonding zone was several times higher than those of the individual alloys; however, during indenter loading, the bonding zone fabricated from modified AlSi12 alloy was less prone to cracking.