Developing Cu modified Ti6Al4V alloys with a combination of high strength and ductility by electron beam freeform fabrication

A thin-wall structure of Ti6Al4V–3Cu was prepared by electron beam freeform fabrication (EBF3) with Cu plated wire and a novel in-situ alloying method based on chemical plating for wire-based additive manufacturing was proposed. The results show that the addition of Cu leads to significant refinement of prior-β grain, resulting in the transformation from fully columnar to mixed equiaxed-columnar structure. Meanwhile Ti2Cu precipitates are formed...