Additive Manufacturing of Ceramic-Reinforced Inconel 718: Microstructure and Mechanical Characterization

作者：Qi Yang, Bo Hu, Lei Wang, Yanwei Ma, Mei Yang, Yihang Ma, Pengfei Li · 发表于：Crystals · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/cryst15070585 · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing Technologies、Additive Manufacturing Materials and Processes、Titanium Alloys Microstructure and Properties

This study investigates the microstructure and mechanical properties of Inconel 718, a nickel-based alloy, reinforced with ceramic phases via additive manufacturing. Two reinforcement strategies were explored: in situ formation of ceramic phases through titanium powder addition, and direct incorporation of Cr2O3 and TiO2 ceramic particles. Both approaches significantly modified the alloy’s microstructure and elemental distribution. The in situ formation method produced leaf-like Ti-rich precipitates (up to 70.13 wt%), while direct ceramic addition suppressed the preferred orientation of the Laves phase and promoted the formation of NbC precipitates. Microhardness increased by 19.4% with titanium addition, compared to a modest 1.3% improvement with direct ceramic addition. Tensile testing revealed that titanium powder enhanced ultimate tensile strength but reduced elongation, whereas direct ceramic addition led to decreases in both strength and ductility. Wear resistance evaluation showed that direct ceramic addition yielded superior performance, evidenced by the lowest friction coefficient (0.514) and smallest wear volume (16,290,782 μm3). These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of ceramic reinforcement strategies in optimizing the mechanical and tribological behavior of additively manufactured Inconel 718, and offer valuable guidance for the development of wear-resistant components such as those used in hydraulic support systems.