Selective laser melting (SLM) of pure molybdenum encounters all the difficulties of SLM metals due to its intrinsic properties (high melting point, high ductile-to-brittle transition temperature and high surface tension). In this work, we studied the influence of key factors such as powder morphology and processing parameters on SLM fabricated pure molybdenum. Pure molybdenum with a relative density of 99.1% was fabricated by SLM using optimized processing parameters. The formation mechanisms for densification behavior and crack growth behaviors are systematically analyzed. Electron backscattered diffraction analysis indicates that the interlocking grain boundary structure and stretch columnar grains can increase bonding force and inhibit crack growth. The balling and cracking can be reduced by adding support structure and suppressing oxygen content. The hardness of SLM-fabricated molybdenum exceeding 260 HV, which is 30-37% higher than Mo prepared by conventional manufacturing methods, mainly attributed to the fine grains and dislocation strengthening in the SLM process. The bending strength of SLM-ed Mo reached 280 ± 52 Mpa. The fracture mode of SLM Mo was intergranular. This study provides a new route for the fabrication of refractory metals with a complex structure.
Keywords: cracks; densification; microstructure; pure molybdenum; selective laser melting.