Modification of the Surface Topography of Additive Materials under Ar\({}^{\mathbf{+}}\) Ion Irradiation

Abstract

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a modern developing group of technologies based not on material removal, but on the layer-by-layer growth and synthesis of an object according to a CAD (computer-aided design) model. The main disadvantages of objects manufactured by AM technologies are a high degree of porosity and surface roughness. This study examines the possibility of modifying the surface of additive materials Ti\({}^{6}\)Al\({}^{4}\)V and AlSi\({}^{10}\)Mg by irradiation with Ar\({}^{+}\) ions with energies ranging from 2 to 9 keV. Using SEM, the surface topography was obtained before and after irradiation and mechanical polishing. A reduction in surface porosity and roughness was demonstrated, as well as the influence of beam energy on the final surface topography.