Production of high strength Al85Nd8Ni5Co2 alloy by selective laser melting

Bulk high strength and thermally stable Al85Nd8Ni5Co2 samples have been prepared by selective laser melting (SLM). The alloy shows a composite-like microstructure consisting of submicron-sized stable intermetallic phases dispersed in an Al matrix, which leads to high compressive strength (1–0.5 GPa) at elevated temperatures (303–573 K). These results indicate that SLM is an effective alternative to conventional routes for producing dense, thermally stable and near net shaped components from high strength Al-based alloys.