Operando X-ray scattering reveals ordering-mediated solidification in additive manufacturing.

Lin Gao, Kyle Mumm, Zhongshu Ren, Zhou Yu, Xingyang Li, Chihpin Andrew Chuang, Tao Sun

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Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Lin GaoDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. lgao9@ua.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8988-7354

Kyle MummDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9930-3831

Zhongshu RenDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4662-2422

Zhou YuDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA.

Xingyang LiDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA.

Chihpin Andrew ChuangX-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0295-381X

Tao SunDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA. taosun@northwestern.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4881-9774

Funding

National Science Foundation (NSF) DMR-2427686

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Solidification in fusion-based metal additive manufacturing (AM) occurs under non-equilibrium conditions, often producing microstructures that deviate from classical theories, such as refined grains with high twin density arising from abnormal columnar-to-equiaxed transition (CET). While such feature has been linked to liquid atomic orderings, direct mechanistic evidence has been lacking. Here, we perform operando synchrotron X-ray total scattering measurement with rapid pair distribution function (PDF) analysis to probe atomic structures in AM melt pools. We resolve the evolution of short- and medium-range orderings and connect their selective consumption to distinct solidification pathways in Inconel 718 and other alloys. Our findings not only confirm the importance of icosahedral clusters in controlling solidification behavior, but also suggest a distinct nucleation and growth pathway responsible for abnormal CET. This insight offers opportunities for alloy design and microstructure control in metal AM.

Identifiers

PMID42173898

DOI10.1038/s41467-026-73647-3

PMCPMC13385772

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.