MULTI-COMPONENT ALLOY PRODUCTS, AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING THE SAME

• US 20170326690A1
• Filed: 05/16/2017
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Howmet Aerospace, Inc.
• Inventors: Heard, David W., Satoh, Gen, Yanar, Cagatay, Sample, Vivek M., Lin, Jen C., Kulovits, Andreas, Kilmer, Raymond J., McCleary, Sherri, Spinella, Donald J., Williams, Kyle L.
• Application Number:
  US15/596,325
• Publication Number:
  US 20170326690A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 1/00 Metallic powder; Treatment of metallic powder, e.g. to facilitate working or to improve properties
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/14 by jetting of binder onto a bed of metal powder
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/20 Direct sintering or melting
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/34 of powder characteristics, e.g. density, oxidation or flowability
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/62 by chemical means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/66 by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 12/55 Two or more means for feeding material
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2203/11 temperature, temperature profile
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2999/00 Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/1028 Controlled cooling
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/22 characterised by the composition or nature of the material
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 30/00 Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 40/20 Post-treatment, e.g. curing, coating or polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/00 Materials specially adapted for additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 70/10 Composites of different types of material, e.g. mixtures of ceramics and polymers or mixtures of metals and biomaterials
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/04 by powder metallurgy C22C1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 1/05 Mixtures of metal powder with non-metallic powder C22C1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 Process efficiency

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to new metal powders, wires and other physical forms for use in additive manufacturing, welding and cladding, and multi-component alloy products made from such metal powders, wires and forms via additive manufacturing, welding and cladding. The composition(s) and/or physical properties of the metal powders, wires or forms may be tailored. In turn, additive manufacturing, welding and cladding may be used to produce a tailored multi-component alloy product.

Claims

1. A method for producing a multi-component alloy product, the method comprising:

(a) dispersing a metal powder in a bed and/or spraying a metal powder towards or on a substrate, wherein the metal powder comprises at least four different elements of the periodic table;

(b) selectively heating a portion of the metal powder to a temperature above the liquidus temperature of the multi-component alloy product;

(c) forming a molten pool;

(d) cooling the molten pool at a cooling rate of at least 1000°

C. per second; and

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) until the multi-component alloy product is completed, wherein the multi-component alloy product comprises a metal matrix, wherein the at least four different elements make-up the matrix, and wherein the multi-component product comprises 5-35 at. % of the at least four elements.

2. The method for claim 1, wherein the at least four different elements are selected from the group consisting of Al, Si, Li, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Pt, Au, Ga, Ge, In, Sn, Pb, Bi, and the rare earth elements.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal powder comprises at least some one-metal particles.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal powder comprises at least some multiple-metal particles.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the metal powder comprises at least some metal-nonmetal particles.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the metal-nonmetal particles comprise at least one of oxygen, carbon, nitrogen and boron.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the metal-nonmetal particles are selected from the group consisting of metal oxide particles, metal carbide particles, metal nitride particles, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the metal-nonmetal particles are one of Al₂O₃, TiC, Si₃N₄ and TiB₂.

9. A wire for use in electron beam or plasma arc additive manufacturing, the wire comprising:

an outer tube portion comprising a first material; and

a volume of particles contained within the outer tube portion, the volume of particles being a second material;

wherein the composition of the wire, comprising the first material and the second material, is sufficient to produce a multi-component alloy product when the wire is used in additive manufacturing, wherein the multi-component alloy product comprises at least four elements, and wherein the multi-component alloy product comprises from 5-35 at. % each of the least four elements.

10. A method comprising:

first gathering a first feedstock from a first powder supply of an additive manufacturing system;

second gathering a second feedstock from a second powder supply of the additive manufacturing system;

combining the first and second feedstocks, thereby producing a metal powder blend, wherein the composition of the metal powder blend is sufficient to produce a multi-component alloy product, wherein the multi-component alloy product comprises at least four elements, and wherein the multi-component alloy product comprises from 5-35 at. % each of the least four elements.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first gathering comprises mechanically pushing the first feedstock via a roller, and wherein the second gathering comprises mechanically pushing the second feedstock via the roller.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

pushing the first feedstock towards the second feedstock via the roller.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the providing step comprises:

pushing the blended feedstock from downstream of the second powder supply to the build space.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the first gathering step comprises:

adjusting a height of a platform of the first powder supply, thereby providing a first volume of the first feedstock for the first gathering step.

15. The method of claim 14, comprising:

after the first gathering step, moving the height of the platform, thereby providing a third feedstock, wherein the third feedstock is a second volume of the first feedstock.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising:

third gathering the third feedstock from the first powder supply;

forth gathering a second feedstock from the second powder supply; and

combining the third feedstock and the second feedstock.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the second gathering and the forth gathering steps gather an equivalent volume of the second feedstock.

18. The method of claim 10, comprising:

producing a tailored 3-D multi-component alloy product in the build space of the additive manufacturing system using the metal powder blend, wherein the wherein the multi-component alloy product comprises at least four elements, and wherein the multi-component alloy product comprises from 5-35 at. % each of the least four elements.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the 3-D multi-component alloy product is an oxide dispersion strengthened 3-D multi-component alloy product having M-O particles therein, wherein M is a metal and O is oxygen.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the M-O particles are selected from the group consisting of Y₂O₃, Al₂O₃, TiO₂, La₂O₃, and combinations thereof.