Additive manufacturing of lightweight, fully Al-based components using quasicrystals

This article addresses a still-open question in additive manufacturing of lightweight metallic components. We find that using Al-based quasicrystalline particles allows extending the selective laser sintering technology to produce Al-based parts of any complex shape. The process consists in selectively melting a powder blend containing a binder and quasicrystalline particles to construct a three-dimensional pre-form. In a second step, the pre-form is infiltrated by a conventional aluminium alloy in a furnace through a thermal cycle under an inert atmosphere. The aluminium alloy reacts with the quasicrystalline particles, inducing phase transformations and ending with a manufactured product of good mechanical properties that is harmless to the environment and cost-effective.