Effect of Surface Treatment and Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Ti6Al4V Alloy Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting

One of the most attractive and widely used alloys in the industry and field of implants is titanium and titanium alloys, including Ti6Al4V. The outstanding properties and application of this with the attractive capabilities of additive manufacturing technology have increased the inclination towards additive manufacturing of titanium parts. In this research, the effect of surface treatment and heat treatment on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V alloy manufactured by selective laser melting was investigated. For this purpose, Ti6Al4V alloy produced by selective laser melting was subjected to annealing heat treatment at 1050 degrees Celsius and surface treatment of surface ultrasonic mechanical stimulation. Then, the microstructure and phases of Ti6Al4V alloy, which included α and β phases, were investigated with optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis. The mechanical properties of the samples were also checked by Vickers hardness, tensile and uniaxial compression tests. The results showed that annealing heat treatment and then aging decreases the strength properties but increases the flexibility and toughness. By performing surface treatment, the hardness of Ti6Al4V alloy increases. In general, it can be said that the desired properties of this alloy, produced by selective laser melting, can be obtained by performing suitable surface and thermal treatments.