Laser path engineering of microstructure and multi-properties in additively manufactured high-silicon steel

Journal article, 2026

The influence of laser path rotation on the microstructure and multifunctional properties of high-silicon steel fabricated by powder bed fusion-laser beam was investigated using a high-throughput approach. Four laser path rotation angles were incorporated within a single build to directly correlate processing, structure, and coupled properties. Grain morphology and crystallographic texture were strongly governed by the laser path. A 90° rotation promoted elongated columnar grains with a pronounced ⟨001⟩ fiber texture along the build direction, whereas the 0° condition produced narrower columnar grains with largely random orientation. These variations resulted in distinct functional responses: the as-printed 90° condition exhibited the lowest coercivity of 81 A/m, while the 0° condition showed the highest electrical resistivity of 228 µΩ·cm and hardness of 416 HV. Annealing at 1150°C reduced coercivity to ~35 A/m while retaining high magnetization and elevated resistivity. These findings demonstrate that laser path engineering enables tunable magnetic, electrical, and mechanical performance in high-silicon steel.