Anisotropic Deformation and Fracture Mechanisms of an Additively Manufactured Ni-Based Superalloy

This study investigates the anisotropic mechanical and microstructural behavior of the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) manufactured Ni-based superalloy Hastelloy X (HX) by using slow strain rate (10−5 and 10−6s−1) tensile testing (SSRT) at 700 °C. LPBF HX typically exhibits an elongated grain structure along the building direction (BD) and the texture analysis from the combination of neutron diffraction and EBSD discloses a major texture component <011> and a minor texture component <001> along BD, and a texture component <001> in the other two sample directions perpendicular to BD. Two types of tests have been performed, the horizontal tests where the loading direction (LD) is applied perpendicular to BD, and the vertical tests where LD is applied parallel to BD. The vertical tests exhibit lower strength but better ductility, which is explained by the texture effect and the elongated grain structure. A comparison of the mechanical behavior to the wrought HX shows that LPBF HX has better yield strength due to the high dislocation density as proved by TEM images. Creep voids are observed at grain boundaries in SSRT for both directions and are responsible for the poor ductility of the horizontal tests. The vertical ductility in SSRT maintains the same level as the reference tensile test at the strain rate of 10−3s−1, due to the extra deformation capacity contributed by the discovered deformation twinning and lattice rotation. The deformation twinning, which is only observed in the vertical tests and has not been found in the conventionally manufactured HX, is beneficial to maintain the ductility but does not strengthen the material.