Unique crystallographic texture formation in Inconel 718 by laser powder bed fusion and its effect on mechanical anisotropy

Additive manufacturing offers an exclusive way of anisotropic microstructure control with a high degree of freedom regarding variation in process parameters. This study demonstrates a unique texture formation in Inconel 718 (IN718) using a bidirectional laser scan in a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process for tailoring the mechanical properties. We developed three distinctive textures in IN718 using LPBF: a single-crystal-like microstructure (SCM) with a <110> orientation in the build direction (BD), crystallographic lamellar microstructure (CLM) with a <110>-oriented main layer and <100>-oriented sub-layer in the BD, and polycrystalline with a weak orientation. The microstructure observations and finite element simulations showed that the texture evolution of the SCM and CLM was dominated by the melt-pool shape and related heat-flow direction. The specimen with CLM exhibited a simultaneous improvement in strength and ductility owing to the stress-transfer coefficient between the <110>-oriented main and <100>-oriented sub-grains, showing superior mechanical properties compared to cast-IN718. This behavior is largely attributed to the presence of the boundary between the main and sub-layers (crystallographic grain boundary) lying parallel to the BD uniquely formed under the LPBF process. Furthermore, the strength–ductility balance of the part with the CLM can be controlled by changing the stress-transfer coefficient and the Schmidt factor through an alteration of the loading axis. Control of the crystallographic texture, including the CLM formation, is beneficial for tailoring and improving the mechanical performance of the structural materials, which can be a promising methodology.