Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ti-6Al-4V Alloy Samples Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting

Ti-6Al-4V (wt%) alloy samples with dog-bone and box shapes respectively were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM). The microstructures and mechanical properties of the 3D printed Ti-6Al-4V samples with and without heat treatment were characterized and tested. The microstructures of the as-fabricated dog-bone shaped samples were mainly composed of acicular α’ phase. After annealing at 700°C, the acicular α’ phase changed into an α/β lamellar structure. After solution treatment at 955°C, water quenching and aging at 550°C, the microstructure was mainly composed of primary α phase and α/β lamellar structure. The optimum heat treatment is annealing, and the mechanical properties of the annealed sample are as follows: yield strength: 1015 MPa, ultimate tensile strength (UTS): 1083 MPa and elongation to fracture: 7.9%. The microstructures of the box-shaped samples after annealing mainly consist of α phase and α/β lamellar structure. When stretched along the direction parallel to the crystal growth direction, the yield strength and UTS of the sample are 1054 and 1090 MPa，and its elongation to fracture is 6.3%. When stretched along the direction perpendicular to the crystal growth direction, the yield strength and UTS of the sample are 1019 and 1068 MPa respectively, and its elongation to fracture is 8.7%.