Single track formation of TiC reinforced Inconel 718 metal matrix composites using selective laser melting process

This research investigates the formation of metal-matrix composites (MMCs) using Inconel 718 (IN718) and TiC through single-track experiments with different energy inputs and TiC contents up to 5%. The study examines melt pool morphologies, defect formation, and microstructural analysis. Analytical predictions were used for melt pool size and defect anticipation. The findings indicated that adding TiC enhances laser absorptivity, resulting in slightly larger melt pool sizes for TiC-reinforced IN718. Besides, TiC content up to 5% does not significantly affect defect formation in single tracks. The analytical prediction anticipates the onset of keyholing and balling defects for IN718 with reasonable accuracy, but not so precisely for TiC-reinforced IN718 with homogenized properties. Besides, TiC melting strongly depends on energy input, emphasizing the importance of considering this aspect for optimizing process parameters in MMCs. SEM and EDS analyses revealed increased Ti concentration at high energy input and densely distributed original TiC particles at low energy input. EBSD analysis indicates that scan speed has a more pronounced effect on microstructural characteristics than added TiC content. This study provides valuable insights into MMC formation and highlights the significance of TiC content, defect formation, and particle melting for process optimization.