Microstructural evolution and hardness of as-cast Be-Al-Sc-Zr alloy processed by laser surface remelting

Abstract As-cast beryllium-aluminum (Be-Al) alloy exhibits a coarse microstructure with pore defects due to a large solidification interval, greatly limiting its mechanical properties. In this research, the relationship between laser surface remelting process and microstructure and hardness of as-cast Be-Al-Sc-Zr alloy was established. The experimental results demonstrated that a pore-free refined microstrucutre of remelted layer was obtained by controlling the parameter of effective laser energy input. The microstructure of as-cast Be-Al-Sc-Zr alloy consisted of equiaxed grains with Al phase forming a continuous frame wrapping Be phase, which was significantly refined in the remelted zone (from 25 μm to 2 μm). The Vickers hardness in the remelted zone (approximately 210 HV) was approximately 3 times that of as-cast Be-Al-Sc-Zr alloy. Analysis of the Vickers hardness and the Be phase size showed a good agreement with a Hall-Petch equation. In addition, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis evidenced that Sc and Zr elements formed a single blocky phase Be13(Scx,Zr1-x), which was also greatly refined from 8 μm to 1.5 μm in the remelted zone. The results obtained in this study indicate that the laser surface remelting allowed refining the microstructure and further strengthening the Vickers hardness of Be-Al-Sc-Zr alloy.