| Abstract Scope |
AM is reshaping what is possible in high-performance alloys. Unlike traditional mill processes, LPBF enables the creation of supersaturated solid solution in its final engineered shape without the need of heat and quench. This allows materials to achieve properties that were previously unattainable. Through rapid solidification coupled with epitaxial grain formation, LPBF creates fine, optimized microstructures that strengthen materials beyond wrought equivalent could ever achieve. This is demonstrated in nickel-based superalloy H230 and niobium-based refractory alloy C103. In H230AM, CDS was achieved through precipitation formation of stable, nano-sized tungsten carbide. In C103AM, ODS was realized with nano-scale hafnium oxide. These mechanisms led to substantial improvements in mechanical properties, surpassing those of wrought equivalents. The results demonstrate not just the viability, but the superiority of LPBF for manufacturing next-generation materials — opening new frontiers for aerospace, defense, and high-temperature applications where traditional processing limitations once defined material performance ceilings |