On the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced via laser beam powder bed fusion

Tantalum (Ta) is a refractory metal with excellent corrosion resistance and biocompatability, high melting temperature and density, and good electrical and thermal conductivity, with applications in capacitors, medical implants and devices, linings in the chemical industry, penetrator projectiles, a...

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Main Authors: Andrew B. Kustas, Erin Barrick, Jonathan Pegues, Hannah Sims, Mary L. Gucik, Michael Melia, Alexander E. Wilson-Heid, Joshua D. Sugar, Eric D. Hintsala, Kevin M. Schmalbach, Frank W. DelRio, Tyler LeBrun
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Additive Manufacturing Letters
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772369025000507
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author Andrew B. Kustas
Erin Barrick
Jonathan Pegues
Hannah Sims
Mary L. Gucik
Michael Melia
Alexander E. Wilson-Heid
Joshua D. Sugar
Eric D. Hintsala
Kevin M. Schmalbach
Frank W. DelRio
Tyler LeBrun
author_facet Andrew B. Kustas
Erin Barrick
Jonathan Pegues
Hannah Sims
Mary L. Gucik
Michael Melia
Alexander E. Wilson-Heid
Joshua D. Sugar
Eric D. Hintsala
Kevin M. Schmalbach
Frank W. DelRio
Tyler LeBrun
author_sort Andrew B. Kustas
collection DOAJ
description Tantalum (Ta) is a refractory metal with excellent corrosion resistance and biocompatability, high melting temperature and density, and good electrical and thermal conductivity, with applications in capacitors, medical implants and devices, linings in the chemical industry, penetrator projectiles, and nuclear reactors. In this work, we examined the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced through laser beam powder bed fusion (PBF-LB). Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), tensile tests, nanoindentation, and environmental and galvanic corrosion tests were utilized to establish structure-property relationships as a function of orientation, temperature, and pH. EBSD showed the horizontal and vertical orientations had different grain size distributions and weak texture. From tensile testing, PBF-LB Ta exhibited comparable strain-at-failure relative to wrought Ta, with significantly higher yield and ultimate strengths relative to ASTM B708. Room-temperature nanoindentation confirmed weak mechanical anisotropy via complementary EBSD images and showed small variations in reduced modulus and hardness after annealing to 800 °C due to oxide formation. The environmental corrosion tests in HCl (acid), NaCl (neutral), and KOH (basic) suggested the corrosion current density for PBF-LB Ta was lower than wrought, signifying slower corrosion for PBF-LB Ta. The passive nature of PBF-LB and wrought Ta was observed during galvanic corrosion; when coupled with titanium, aluminum, or stainless steel, most systems did not show corrosion after 24 hr. In all, the results showed that PBF-LB Ta has comparable or, in some cases, superior mechanical and corrosion properties to wrought Ta.
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spelling doaj-art-cbb00f19b9784576801f9caaf3e2c2e82025-08-21T04:17:58ZengElsevierAdditive Manufacturing Letters2772-36902025-07-011410031710.1016/j.addlet.2025.100317On the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced via laser beam powder bed fusionAndrew B. Kustas0Erin Barrick1Jonathan Pegues2Hannah Sims3Mary L. Gucik4Michael Melia5Alexander E. Wilson-Heid6Joshua D. Sugar7Eric D. Hintsala8Kevin M. Schmalbach9Frank W. DelRio10Tyler LeBrun11Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA; Corresponding author at: Ames National Laboratory, USA.Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USAAuburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USASandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USASandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USASandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USASandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 94551, USASandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 94551, USABruker Nano Surfaces, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USABruker Nano Surfaces, Eden Prairie, MN 55344, USASandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA; Corresponding author.Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA 94551, USATantalum (Ta) is a refractory metal with excellent corrosion resistance and biocompatability, high melting temperature and density, and good electrical and thermal conductivity, with applications in capacitors, medical implants and devices, linings in the chemical industry, penetrator projectiles, and nuclear reactors. In this work, we examined the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced through laser beam powder bed fusion (PBF-LB). Electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), tensile tests, nanoindentation, and environmental and galvanic corrosion tests were utilized to establish structure-property relationships as a function of orientation, temperature, and pH. EBSD showed the horizontal and vertical orientations had different grain size distributions and weak texture. From tensile testing, PBF-LB Ta exhibited comparable strain-at-failure relative to wrought Ta, with significantly higher yield and ultimate strengths relative to ASTM B708. Room-temperature nanoindentation confirmed weak mechanical anisotropy via complementary EBSD images and showed small variations in reduced modulus and hardness after annealing to 800 °C due to oxide formation. The environmental corrosion tests in HCl (acid), NaCl (neutral), and KOH (basic) suggested the corrosion current density for PBF-LB Ta was lower than wrought, signifying slower corrosion for PBF-LB Ta. The passive nature of PBF-LB and wrought Ta was observed during galvanic corrosion; when coupled with titanium, aluminum, or stainless steel, most systems did not show corrosion after 24 hr. In all, the results showed that PBF-LB Ta has comparable or, in some cases, superior mechanical and corrosion properties to wrought Ta.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772369025000507Tantalummechanical isotropyCorrosion behaviorLaser beam powder bed fusion
spellingShingle Andrew B. Kustas
Erin Barrick
Jonathan Pegues
Hannah Sims
Mary L. Gucik
Michael Melia
Alexander E. Wilson-Heid
Joshua D. Sugar
Eric D. Hintsala
Kevin M. Schmalbach
Frank W. DelRio
Tyler LeBrun
On the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced via laser beam powder bed fusion
Additive Manufacturing Letters
Tantalum
mechanical isotropy
Corrosion behavior
Laser beam powder bed fusion
title On the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced via laser beam powder bed fusion
title_full On the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced via laser beam powder bed fusion
title_fullStr On the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced via laser beam powder bed fusion
title_full_unstemmed On the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced via laser beam powder bed fusion
title_short On the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced via laser beam powder bed fusion
title_sort on the mechanical isotropy and corrosion behavior of tantalum produced via laser beam powder bed fusion
topic Tantalum
mechanical isotropy
Corrosion behavior
Laser beam powder bed fusion
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772369025000507
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