Cracking on a nickel-based superalloy fabricated by direct energy deposition.

Cracks have consistently been a significant challenge limiting the development of additive manufactured nickel-based superalloys. It is essential to investigate the location of cracks and their forming mechanism. This study extensively examines the impact of solidification process, microstructural evolution, and stress concentration on crack initiation during direct energy deposition (DED). The results emphasize that the crack formation is significantly related to large-angle grain boundaries, rapid cooling rates. Cracks caused by large-angle grain boundaries and a fast-cooling rate predominantly appear near the edge of the deposited samples. Liquation cracks are more likely to form near the top of the deposited sample, due to the presence of eutectics. The secondary dendritic arm and the carbides in the interdendritic regions can obstruct liquid flow during the final stage of solidification, which results in the formation of solidification cracks and voids. This work paves the way to avoid cracks in nickel-based superalloys fabricated by DED, thereby enhancing the performance of superalloys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]