Micromechanical behavior of annealed Ti-6Al-4V produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion

The micromechanical behavior of an annealed Ti-6Al-4V material produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion was characterized by means of in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction during a tensile test. The lattice strain evolution was obtained parallel and transversal to the loading direction. The elastic constants were determined and compared with the conventionally manufactured alloy. In the plastic regime, a lower plastic anisotropy exhibited by the lattice planes was observed along the load axis (parallel to the building direction) than in the transverse direction. Also, the load transfer from α to β phase was observed, increasing global ductility of the material. The material seems to accumulate a significant amount of intergranular strain in the transverse direction.