Investigation of the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V repaired by the powder-blown underwater directed energy deposition technique

Abstract Underwater directed energy deposition (UDED) is a promising technology for on-site maintenance and repair of underwater structures. In this study, the damage zone on a Ti–6Al–4V plate was successfully repaired by UDED and no obvious internal defects were observed. The mechanisms of the special underwater thermal behaviors influencing the microstructural formation/evolution process and the resultant mechanical properties of Ti–6Al–4V repaired by UDED were systematically investigated by experimental and simulation methods. Compared with that prepared by in-air directed energy deposition (DED), the sample repaired by UDED presented the following differences: (1) The cooling rate was large and the heat accumulation of the sample was low during UDED due to the rapid heat dissipation by water and gas curtain gas. (2) The sample repaired by UDED was dominated by fine acicular martensite α′ with a high density of dislocations due to the weak intrinsic heat treatment (IHT), while the intensified IHT involved in DED provoked the significant decomposition of α′ into α and β film. (3) The weak IHT during UDED resulted in the formation of thin β films with a low vanadium content. The intensified IHT during DED promoted the diffusion of vanadium atoms and the coarsening of β films. (4) The average microhardness of the sample repaired by UDED (379 ± 15 HV) was higher than that repaired by DED (359 ± 11 HV). The sample repaired by UDED exhibited relatively poor ductility and low toughness due to the presence of acicular martensite α′. This work can provide an important foundation and useful guidance for tailoring the microstructure and properties of titanium alloys repaired by UDED in underwater environments.