Effects of KoBo-Processing and Subsequent Annealing Treatment on Grain Boundary Network and Texture Development in Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) AlSi10Mg Alloy

It is well known that the properties of polycrystalline metals are related to grain boundaries (GBs), which are fundamental structural elements where crystallographic orientations change abruptly and often exhibit some degree of symmetry. Grain boundaries often exhibit unique structural, chemical, and electronic properties that differ from bulk crystalline domains. Their effects on material properties, including mechanical strength, corrosion resistance, and electrical conductivity, make grain boundaries a focus of intense scientific investigation. In this study, the microstructural transformation of an AlSi10Mg alloy subjected to KoBo extrusion and subsequent annealing is investigated. A notable discovery is the effectiveness of a strain-annealing method for grain boundary engineering (GBE) of the LPBF AlSi10Mg alloy. In particular, this study shows a significant increase in the population of coincidence site lattice boundaries (CSL), which embody the symmetry of the crystal lattice structure. These boundaries, which are characterised by a high degree of symmetry, contribute to their special properties compared to random grain boundaries. The experimental results emphasise the crucial role of strain-induced boundary migration (SIBM) in the development of a brass texture in the microstructure of the alloy after annealing. In addition, the presented results demonstrate the feasibility of applying GBE to materials with high stacking fault energy (SFE), which opens up new possibilities for optimizing their properties.