In this study, additive manufacturing of a functionally graded material (FGM) as an alternative to joining dissimilar metals is investigated using directed energy deposition (DED). FGM consists of five different layers, which are mixtures of austenitic stainless steel (type 316 L) and low-alloy steel (LAS, ferritic steel) at ratios of 100:0 (A layer), 75:25 (B layer), 50:50 (C layer), 25:75 (D layer), and 0:100 (E layer), respectively, in each deposition layer. The FGM samples are successfully fabricated without cracks or delamination using the DED method, and specimens are characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopy to monitor their microstructures. In layers C and D of the sample, the tensile strength is determined to be very high owing to the formation of ferrite and martensite structures. However, the elongation is high in layers A and B, which contain a large fraction of austenite.

Titanium alloys have high specific strength, excellent corrosion and wear resistance, as well as high heatresistant strength compared to conventional steel materials. As intermetallic compounds based on Ti, TiAl alloys are becoming increasingly popular in the aerospace field because these alloys have low density and high creep properties. In spite of those advantages, the low ductility at room temperature and difficult machining performance of TiAl and Ti3Al materials has limited their potential applications. Titanium powder can be used in such cases for weight and cost reduction. Herein, pre-forms of Ti-Al-xMn powder alloys are fabricated by compression forming. In this process, Ti powder is added to Al and Mn powders and compressed, and the resulting mixture is subjected to various sintering temperature and holding times. The density of the powder-sintered specimens is measured and evaluated by correlation with phase formation, Mn addition, Kirkendall void, etc. Strong Al-Mn reactions can restrain Kirkendall void formation in Ti-Al-xMn powder alloys and result in increased density of the powder alloys. The effect of Al-Mn reactions and microstructural changes as well as Mn addition on the high-temperature compression properties are also analyzed for the Ti-Al-xMn powder alloys.