Effects of Process Parameters on Properties of Silver‐Coated Graphene Reinforced Low Modulus Titanium Matrix Composites Fabricated by Selective Laser Melting

In this study, Ag@GNSs‐reinforced Ti‐13Nb‐13Zr (TC26) composites are fabricated using the selective laser melting technology. The processing parameters are optimized through investigating the density, microstructure, and mechanical properties of composites on the basis of laser volume energy density. When the energy density reaches 83.33 J mm −3 , the Ag@GNSs/TC26 composite exhibits the maximum relative density of 99.52%, microhardness of 396.2 HV 0.1 , and tensile strength of 1169.46 MPa, which can be attributed to the excellent metallurgical bonding between the reinforcing phase and titanium matrix. In addition, the elastic modulus of Ag@GNSs/TC26 composites is 28.30 GPa, which is comparable to the modulus of human bone (30 GPa), and can reduce the stress shielding effect. As for the composites fabricated with low or high laser energy density, lots of defects, such as unmelted particles and keyholes, emerge, which leads to the deterioration of density and mechanical properties. The strategy used in this study has provided essential guidance for fabricating titanium matrix composites with excellent mechanical performance.