Fatigue response of wire-arc additive manufactured nickel-aluminum bronze (NAB) in the post-annealed condition

• Published in: International journal of fatigue Vol. 187; p. 108472
• Main Authors: Shakil, Shawkat I., Shakerin, Sajad, Rahmdel, Keivan, Mohammadi, Mohsen, Tridello, Andrea, Paolino, Davide S., Shao, Shuai, Shamsaei, Nima, Haghshenas, Meysam
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.10.2024
• Subjects: Fatigue; NAB; Nickel aluminum-bronze; WAAM; Wire arc additive manufacturing; Fatigue; Wire arc additive manufacturing; WAAM; NAB; Nickel aluminum-bronze
• ISSN: 0142-1123; 1879-3452
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijfatigue.2024.108472

•Presenting ambient air fully reversed the uniaxial fatigue of WAAM NAB.•Quantifying enhanced fatigue strength of WAAM NAB relative to the cast material.•Explaining variations in localized strain and the proportion of deformed grains near the fracture surface.•Establishing microstructure–volumetric defect–fatigue performance correlation in WAAM NAB. Nickel-aluminum bronze (NAB) is chosen for critical applications like marine propellers, pump components, and offshore structures due to its exceptional mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Considering the utmost importance of the fatigue performance of NAB in such applications, this study investigates the fatigue performance of wire arc additive manufactured (WAAM) NAB in the annealed (675 °C for 6 h then furnace cooling) condition. To this end, static mechanical properties were evaluated using uniaxial tensile testing, while fatigue properties were assessed through fully reversed tests conducted at ambient temperature. Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) was utilized for the examination of the texture, and grain size distribution in annealed WAAM NAB. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy was employed to inspect fatigue-fractured specimens, while the analysis of EBSD was conducted to examine the deformation behavior beneath the crack initiation zone. The results provide insights into the fatigue life, crack initiation, and propagation characteristics of WAAM NAB relative to the cast counter material. The findings of this research provide valuable insights into the mechanical properties, microstructural characteristics, and fatigue response of WAAM NAB, informing the design of fatigue-resistant components and supporting the reliable utilization of WAAM NAB in demanding applications such as the marine and naval industries.