This study investigates the comprehensive characterization of Inconel 718 powder and specimens produced by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF). The powder exhibited spherical morphology with a D50 of 23 µm, demonstrating good flowability with a Hausner ratio of 1.10 ±0.01 and Hall flow of 21.8 ±0.5 s|50g. As-built specimens showed dendritic microstructure with Laves phase, while heat-treated samples developed wrought microstructure with d phase precipitates. Heat treatment significantly enhanced mechanical properties, increasing yield strength from 566 MPa to 1135 MPa and ultimate strength from 858 MPa to 1286 MPa, though elongation decreased from 36.8% to 19.4%. Microhardness improved from 285 HV0.2 to 492 HV0.2 in the building direction, with anisotropy increasing from 3.6% to 5.4% post-treatment. The builds showed minimal defects and high density (>8.20 g|cm³), demonstrating the effectiveness of the L-PBF process for producing high-quality Inconel 718 components.
Costa et al. (2025) studied this question.