Printability and microstructural evolution of a near-eutectic three-phase V-based alloy

This paper presents the very first study on additive manufacturing (AM) of a high melting point near-eutectic V-9Si-5B alloy via direct energy deposition (DED). Tailored V-9Si-5B powder material was produced by means of a gas atomization (GA) process. A novel setup for the DED experiments was developed and an overview of the production parameters for manufacturing of crack-free specimens is given. The microstructural evolution of the three-phase V-9Si-5B alloy is described by means of SEM, EBSD and STEM analyses during the entire process chain, i.e. the gas atomization of the powder material, the consolidation via DED and the heat treatment of the compacts. First mechanical tests demonstrate the high hardness and the competitive creep resistance of the AM V-9Si-5B material in comparison to other three-phase V-based alloys.