The Effect of Reinforcements Addition at High Temperatures on the Microstructural Changes of Icosahedral Al-Cu-Fe Coatings

Bulk and surface qualities affect engineering materials in service operations. Surface characteristics, atmosphere, and contact region strongly affect material behavior. This study examines the microstructural evolution of hybrid coatings Al-Cu-Fe on grade five titanium alloy utilizing direct laser metal deposition (DLMD) and copper and iron additions. The coatings were made using a 3-kW continuous-wave ytterbium laser system (YLS) coupled to a KUKA robot that controls the cladding process. Different laser processing conditions were used to study titanium-cladded surfaces. Samples were examined for microstructural evolution. SEM/EDX was used to examine coating morphology, and XRD was used to detect phases. Due to laser-material interaction, reinforcing additives and laser process settings greatly affected the geometrical attributes of coatings and the Heat Affected Zone (HAZ) of each sample. Reinforcement reduces dilution. Meanwhile, powder efficiency was the opposite. Intermetallic phases Al0.4Ti0.6, Al2Ti, Fe0.975Ti0.025, Al0.9Fe3.1Ti2, Al0.5Ti0.5V, and AlCu2Ti also affected microstructures.