Characterization, preparation, and reuse of metallic powders for laser powder bed fusion: a review

Laser powder bed fusion(L-PBF) has attracted significant attention in both the industry and academic fields since its inception, providing unprecedented advantages to fabricate complex-shaped metallic components. The printing quality and performance of L-PBF alloys are infuenced by numerous variables consisting of feedstock powders, manufacturing process,and post-treatment. As the starting materials, metallic powders play a critical role in infuencing the fabrication cost, printing consistency, and properties. Given their deterministic roles, the present review aims to retrospect the recent progress on metallic powders for L-PBF including characterization, preparation, and reuse. The powder characterization mainly serves for printing consistency while powder preparation and reuse are introduced to reduce the fabrication costs.Various powder characterization and preparation methods are presented in the beginning by analyzing the measurement principles, advantages, and limitations. Subsequently, the effect of powder reuse on the powder characteristics and mechanical performance of L-PBF parts is analyzed, focusing on steels, nickel-based superalloys, titanium and titanium alloys, and aluminum alloys. The evolution trends of powders and L-PBF parts vary depending on specific alloy systems, which makes the proposal of a unified reuse protocol infeasible. Finally,perspectives are presented to cater to the increased applications of L-PBF technologies for future investigations. The present state-of-the-art work can pave the way for the broad industrial applications of L-PBF by enhancing printing consistency and reducing the total costs from the perspective of powders.

Study of the reaction mechanism for preparing powdered activated coke with SO_(2)adsorption capability via one-step rapid activation method under flue gas atmosphere

In this study,the impact of different reaction times on the preparation of powdered activated carbon(PAC)using a one-step rapid activation method under flue gas atmosphere is investigated,and the underlying reaction mechanism is summarized.Results indicate that the reaction process of this method can be divided into three stages:stage I is the rapid release of volatiles and the rapid consumption of O_(2),primarily occurring within a reaction time range of 0-0.5 s;stage II is mainly the continuous release and diffusion of volatiles,which is the carbonization and activation coupling reaction stage,and the carbonization process is the main in this stage.This stage mainly occurs at the reaction time range of 0.5 -2.0 s when SL-coal is used as material,and that is 0.5-3.0 s when JJ-coal is used as material;stage III is mainly the activation stage,during which activated components diffuse to both the surface and interior of particles.This stage mainly involves the reaction stage of CO_(2)and H2O(g)activation,and it mainly occurs at the reaction time range of 2.0-4.0 s when SL-coal is used as material,and that is 3.0-4.0 s when JJ-coal is used as material.Besides,the main function of the first two stages is to provide more diffusion channels and contact surfaces/activation sites for the diffusion and activation of the activated components in the third stage.Mastering the reaction mechanism would serve as a crucial reference and foundation for designing the structure,size of the reactor,and optimal positioning of the activator nozzle in PAC preparation.

Preparation and characterization of neodymium hydroxide powder via the hydration method

The preparation of Nd(OH)3 powder by the direct hydration method using Nd2O3 as a raw material was studied,and the effects of stirring mode,H2O and Nd2O3 molar ratio,stirring rate,and reaction time on temperature change and conversion rate in a hydration system were analyzed.The reasonable process conditions for the direct hydration of Nd(OH)3 by Nd2O3 were then determined.Process,morphology,and structure were considered in the preparation of neodymium hydroxide powder,and its composition was investigated by X-ray powder diffraction,scanning electron microscopy,laser particle size analysis,thermogravimetric differential thermal analysis,and chemical analysis.It has been proved that the process is simple and feasible,in line with the concept of modern green chemistry,and the products also meet the market requirements.

Preparation and Properties of Nano-TiO_2 Powders

This paper reports the preparation of nano-TiO2 (about 10 nm) powder by the method of precipitation. In detail, some breparation conditions were investigated in order to find out how to control the grain size and reduce the agglomeration of powders. Also, the reflex spectra of nano-scale powders with different grain size were studied. It tvas found that the wave length and width of reflex spectra are connected with the grain size of nano-TiO2 powders

Preparation of GaN Powder of Nanometer Scale by MOCVD Using DEGA as Precursor

GaN powder of nanometer scale was prepared by metal organic chemical vapor deposition using diethylgallium azide as precursor. The resulting powder was characterized by XRD and TEM. It has been found that the particle size of the powder obtained is affected by the deposition temperature, and the fine crystals formed in temperature range 500 similar to 650 degrees C were hexagonal.

Preparation of Ultrafine Si Powders from SiH_4 by Laser-induced Gas Phase Reaction

High quality ultrafine Si powders have been synthesized from SiH4 by laser induced gas phase reaction. The powders prduced under different synthesis conditions have mean particle size of 10-120nm in diam. with narrow particle size distribution, and free of hard agglomerates.The powders are polycrystalline with the ratio of mean grain to particle diameter being between 0.3-0.7. The size of the powder increases with increasing laser power and reaction pressure,but decreases with increasing silane gas flow rate and the addition of Ar diluent. Grain sizes drop distinctly with the rise of the addition of Ar gas and laser power, but change little with the gas flow rate and reaction temperature. The formation of Si particles under different synthesis conditions is discussed

Fabrication of micro-fine high Nb-containing TiAl alloyed powders by fluidized bed jet milling

A fluidized bed jet milling process was used to make micro-fine high Nb-containing TiAl alloyed powders from the chippings obtained by crushing the Ti-45Al-8.5Nb-(W,B,Y) ingot.The influences of classifier frequency on powder characteristics were investigated.The results show that the powders with controlled average particle size can be prepared on a large scale.The powders with different sizes are all dominated by γ with aminor amount of α2-Ti3Al.The particle size significantly decreases with the classifier frequency increasing.At a classifier frequency higher than 38 Hz,the average particle size of the ground powders is lower than 25μm.The powders are composed of two differ-ent sizes of particles:shaped particles and some clastic particles,and both particle sizes meet the log-normal distribution.With the classifier frequency increasing,the both sizes decrease;meanwhile,the proportion of the clastic particles gradually increases,and the size distribution span value of the ground powders increases correspondingly.

Innovative technologies for powder metallurgy-based disk superalloys: Progress and proposal

Powder metallurgy（PM） superalloys are an important class of high temperature structural materials, key to the rotating components of aero engines. In the purview of the present challenges associated with PM superalloys, two novel approaches namely, powder preparation and the innovative spray-forming technique（for making turbine disk） are proposed and studied.Subsequently, advanced technologies like electrode-induction-melting gas atomization（EIGA）, and spark-plasma discharge spheroidization（SPDS） are introduced, for ceramic-free superalloy powders. Presently, new processing routes are sought after for preparing finer and cleaner raw powders for disk superalloys. The progress of research in spray-formed PM superalloys is first summarized in detail. The spray-formed superalloy disks specifically exhibit excellent mechanical properties. This paper reviews the recent progress in innovative technologies for PM superalloys, with an emphasis on new ideas and approaches, central to the innovation driving techniques like powder processing and spray forming.

Sintering of Doped, Nanocrystalline CeO_2 Powders Prepared under Hydrothermal Conditions

Nanocrystalline CeO2 powders (particle size ≈10-15 nm), doped with up to 20 at.-% of Mg,Ca or Y were prepared by chemical precipitation under hydrothermal conditions. The particle size and shape of the powders change slightly with the dopant concentrations. The the of the dopants on the sintering of the compacted powders was investigated during heating at a constant rate of 10℃/min. The elemental composition and the concentration of the dopant has significant efFect on the densification and grain growth. Compared to undoped CeO2, the dopants produce a shift in the densification curve to higher temperatures. For the same dopant concentration and under identical sintering conditions, the Ca doped samples reach nearly full density with the smallest grain size (≈50 nm), however, the Mg doped sample has the lowest density (≈95% of the theoretical) with the largest grain size (≈1 μm)