Enhanced energy absorption and mechanical properties of porous Ti-6Al-4 V alloys with gradient disordered cells fabricated by laser powder bed fusion

Additive manufacturing (AM) has revolutionized the production of porous metals, greatly improving control over their structural properties and offering unprecedented advantages in lightweight applications and energy absorption. Balancing energy absorption and compressive strength in ordered and disordered porous structures is challenging due to shear deformation and deformation mechanisms. This study investigates the mechanical and energy absorption properties of porous Ti-6Al-4 V alloys with gradient disordered cells fabricated using laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The compressive response of samples with different regularities (R) and varying layers of disordered cells was analyzed through quasi-static compression experiments and finite element simulations. The results indicate that introducing a disordered cell gradient significantly enhances energy absorption by preventing the formation of shear bands observed in porous structures with ordered cell structures. When the regularity (R) is 0.8, 0.4, and 0.2 with one or two layers of disordered cells, mechanical properties are optimized and characterized by a balance between compressive strength and energy absorption. It is significant that, while preserving or enhancing compressive strength, the energy absorption of the material can be augmented substantially. Specifically, porous Ti-6Al-4 V (R = 0.8, L4) achieves an energy absorption increase of up to 154.9kJ/m³, which represents a dramatic enhancement of approximately 245.0 % over the regular porous structure (R = 0 or L0), which absorbs only 44.9 kJ/m³. Compared to ordered and disordered porous structures, the disordered cell gradient demonstrates significant potential in tuning the mechanical properties of porous metals, thereby advancing their applications in aerospace, biomedical, and protective fields.