Multi-material laser powder bed fusion of high-strength, high-ductility SiC-reinforced 316L stainless steel metal matrix composites
Journal
CIRP Annals
ISSN
00078506
Date Issued
2026
Author(s)
Abstract
Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) fabricated ceramic particle–reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) offer high strength but suffer from low ductility. This study explores a nacre-like brick-and-mortar architecture enabled by multi-material LPBF to mitigate this limitation by integrating SiC-reinforced 316L stainless steel (SS) MMC as bricks with the ductile 316L SS as mortar. Interfacial microstructural analysis revealed cellular-to-dendritic transitions and stable bonding in MMC at 6 vol% SiC. Compared with the 1201 MPa strength and 7.3% elongation of 6 vol% SiC MMC, the interlocking brick-mortar architecture maintained strength at 1150 MPa while increasing ductility by 157% to 18.0%.
Subjects
Additive manufacturing
Multi-material laser powder bed fusion
Selective laser melting (SLM)
Publisher
Elsevier Inc.
Type
journal article