Deformation and damage behavior of additively manufactured medium-manganese steels featuring an in situ established multiphase microstructure

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Christian Haase; Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Niendorf
• Subject Area: Materials in Sintering Processes and Generative Manufacturing Processes
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 461071457

The general trend toward lightweight construction, emission reduction and resource efficiency, with the aim of minimizing global warming and conserving non-renewable energy sources, has become one of the most important tasks of our society. This trend not only requires the development of new high-strength and highly formable structural materials, but also the efficient use of remaining resources through the application of new developments in production technology.Steels containing manganese represent a promising class of high-strength and, at the same time, highly deformable materials with excellent energy absorption capacity. The unique combination of mechanical properties is achieved through the activation of secondary deformation mechanisms occurring in addition to pure dislocation sliding.The characteristics of additive manufacturing lead to advantages when respective techniques are used for processing steels containing manganese. Due to the high cooling rates, element segregation in the component can be significantly reduced. Due to the process inherent characteristic of adding material in layers, the cyclical heat input can also be used as in situ heat treatment and, thus, ultimately set the phase distribution in the material during the AM process.In the project microstructurally complex and industrially promising medium-manganese steels are to be manufactured using a shortened process route employing additive manufacturing. The multi-phase microstructure finally is established by means of the in situ heat treatment during the process. On the basis of the complementary expertise and equipment of the applying scientists and institutions, the aim of the project is to understand the fundamental material behavior during additive manufacturing and subsequent mechanical loading. Based on the basic understanding gained, the microstructure development in medium-manganese steels during additive manufacturing is to be influenced in such a way that the deformation and damage behavior can be tailored. Experimental investigations and computer-aided multiscale approaches for material characterization and simulation are used synergistically in the project.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants