Selective Laser Melting of Inconel 718/TiC Composite: Effect of TiC Particle Size

In this article, we present the results of a study of the effect of TiC particle size on the microstructure and properties of a composite material based on the heat-resistant nickel alloy Inconel 718. Composite materials with the addition of 1% mass of micron- or nano-sized TiC particles were successfully manufactured by selective laser melting. Hot isostatic pressing and heat treatment were applied to manufactured samples. Increasing hardness with the addition of TiC particles by about 20% without dependence on TiC size was determined. The addition of nano-sized TiC leads to a greater increase in strength characteristics at room temperature and elevated temperature of 700 °C in comparison with pure Inconel 718 and the addition of micron-sized TiC particles, but also leads to decreasing elongation.