Evaluation of the impact of deep rolling on the mechanical and corrosion properties of additively manufactured aluminum alloy AlSi10Mg

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Thomas Niendorf; Professor Dr.-Ing. Frank Walther
• Subject Area: Metallurgical, Thermal and Thermomechanical Treatment of Materials ; Materials in Sintering Processes and Generative Manufacturing Processes
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 498059840

Besides Ti-base and Mg-base alloys, hardenable Al-base alloys are used in many light-weight applications due to their very high specific strength. In addition, Al-alloys are characterized, at least under monotonic loading, by very good corrosion properties imposed by a rapidly formed passive oxide layer. Additive manufacturing (AM) recently is numerously considered, as the techniques employed allow for realization of components of unprecedented complexity allowing e.g. for topology optimization. In terms of resource efficient production and light-weight design, AM of Al-alloys gained significant attraction in academia and industry very recently. As in case of many other AM metals unique microstructures have been revealed for the Al-alloys. However, thorough characterization of process-microstructure- property relationships (focusing on mechanical and corrosion performance) still is lacking in case of Al-alloys. Current literature explicitly highlights lacking data reporting on corrosion properties of AM alloys. Analysis of the combined effect of mechanical loading and corrosion is of utmost importance for the use of Al-alloys in numerous applications. In order to tackle the prevailing research gap the elementary mechanisms leading to degradation under complex loading scenarios will be thoroughly analyzed in the project. Al-alloys in as-built condition as well as after post-processing treatments (heat treatments and deep rolling) will be considered. All relevant loading scenarios up to corrosion fatigue will be addressed.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants