Microstructure and Properties of TiC-Reinforced 7034 Aluminum Alloy Fabricated by Wire-Feed Laser Cladding
CHEN Jiawen1, WANG Libo1, MI Gaoyang2, ZENG Guang3, CHAO Jingyu1, MA Xiuquan1
1. School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China;
2. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China;
3. School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
To explore the optimal process parameters of wire-feed laser cladding for 7034 aluminum alloy and thereby avoid surface defects while enhancing the mechanical properties of the cladding layer, this study conducted cladding experiments using a high-power fiber laser system integrated with a high-precision push-pull wire feeder. The macroscopic morphology, microstructure, phase composition, and mechanical properties of TiC-reinforced 7034 aluminum alloy cladding layers were systematically investigated. The results indicate that among the parameters of laser power, scanning speed, and wire feeding speed, laser power predominantly governs the macroscopic morphology of the cladding layer. With increasing laser power, the average grain size increased due to elevated thermal input and reduced cooling rates during deposition. Furthermore, TiC nanoparticles acted as heterogeneous nucleation sites, effectively impeding grain growth at the solidification front, which refined grain size and promoted the formation of equiaxed grains. The mechanical properties of the samples exhibited inhomogeneity. Under the deposition parameters of laser power 4800 W, scanning speed 1000 mm/min, and wire feeding speed 3.2 m/min, the 7034 aluminum alloy demonstrated optimal performance, achieving a maximum elongation of 8.78% and a tensile strength of 326.39 MPa.