Investigation on the optimized heat treatment procedure for laser fabricated IN718 alloy

The laser fabricated IN718 alloys were prepared by laser cladding system. The microstructure and microhardness of laser fabricated IN718 alloys were investigated after heat treatment. The microstructure and the elevated temperature mechanical properties of laser fabricated IN718 alloys were analyzed. The results showed that the microstructure of laser fabricated IN718 alloy consisted of austenitic matrix and dendritic Laves/γ eutectic. Most all Laves/γ eutectic was dissolved into austenitic matrix, and the complete recrystallization and the large grains occurred in the laser fabricated IN718 alloy after homogenization at 1080-1140 °C for 1 h, the dendritic Laves/γ eutectic was refined and the partial recrystallization occurred during the solid solution at 940-1000 °C for 1.5 h, the microhardness of the double aging (DA) alloys was about more than twice that of as-fabricated IN718 alloy. The recrystallized microstructure was obtained in the heat-treated laser fabricated IN718 alloy after 1100 °C/1 h air cooling (AC), 980 °C/1.5 h (AC), 700 °C/8 h furnace cooling (FC, 100 °C/h) to 600 °C/8 h (AC). The microhardness and the elevated temperature tensile strength were more than twice that of as-fabricated IN718 alloy due to a large concentration of γ″ phase precipitation to improve the transgranular strength and large grain to guarantee the grain boundary strength. The fracture morphologies of as-fabricated and heat-treated laser fabricated IN718 alloys were presented as the fiber dimples, the fracture mechanism of as-fabricated and heat-treated laser fabricated IN718 alloys was ductile fracture.