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Additive manufacturing from metal powders using selective laser melting technology is gaining increasing interest in various industries. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of changes in process parameter values on the relative density, microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4V and Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy samples. The experiment was conducted in response to a noticeable gap in the research on the manufacturability of the Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy in SLM technology. This topic is significant given the growing interest in this alloy for biomedical applications. The results of this study indicate that by properly selecting the volumetric energy density (VED), the relative density of the material produced and the surface roughness of the components can be effectively influenced. Microstructural analyses revealed similar patterns in both alloys manufactured under similar conditions, characterized by columnar β phase grains with needle-like α' phases. Increasing the VED increased the tensile strength of the fabricated Ti-6Al-4V alloy components, while the opposite effect was observed for components fabricated from Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy. At the same time, Ti-6Al-7Nb alloy parts featured higher elongation values, which is desirable from the perspective of biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid steel atomization using close‐coupled nozzles is highly dependent on the relationship between momentum flux ratio, gas–liquid ratio, aspiration pressure, and operating pressure of inert gases. A strong correlation between these parameters and the final powder must be assumed. Understanding these parameters, their influence on the process, and their interactions with each other is indispensable for efficient powder production. In particular, the industrial application of close‐coupled atomization nozzles, which develop a thin pre‐film on the nozzle tip, is not yet fully understood. A model experiment is presented to investigate interactions between the flow conditions of the gaseous and liquid phases, focusing on recirculation phenomena inside the atomization zone. The experiments show the influence of liquid and gas flow conditions on the spray geometry and the liquid core length, as well as the strong dependence of the liquid mass flux on the gas flow. The aspiration pressure below the liquid nozzle is sensitive to gas pressure and has a major influence on the development of the liquid core and the pre‐film, as it increases the liquid mass flux. For practical application, the results confirm an optimal operating point of interacting system parameters, which leads to high‐quality atomization with minimal use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread application of metal additive manufacturing (AM) is limited by the ability to control the complex interactions between the energy source and the feedstock material. Here, we develop a generalizable process to introduce nanoscale grooves to the surface of metal powders which increases the powder absorptivity by up to 70% during laser powder bed fusion. Absorptivity enhancements in copper, copper-silver, and tungsten enable energy-efficient manufacturing, with printing of pure copper at relative densities up to 92% using laser energy densities as low as 83 joules per cubic millimeter. Simulations show that the enhanced powder absorptivity results from plasmon-enabled light concentration in nanoscale grooves combined with multiple scattering events. The approach taken here demonstrates a general method to enhance the absorptivity and printability of reflective and refractory metal powders by changing the surface morphology of the feedstock without altering its composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on assumptions and limitations, a mathematical model of the non-stationary thermal state of a composite coating during laser remelting on a metal substrate to obtain an alloy of equimolar or close to equimolar composition has been developed. The model includes the boundary value problem of calculating the nonstationary thermal state of the temperature distribution in the solid, two-phase and liquid regions, considering the heat release of crystallization according to the theory of a quasi-equilibrium two-phase zone in the presence of porosity of a mixture of metal powders. Based on the mathematical model, the computer program "Composite coating thermal state" was created, which allows to determine the non-stationary temperature distribution in the formed coating and substrate, the depth of penetration of the high-entropy coating layer, to evaluate the shrinkage of the molten coating under different technological conditions: laser power, the diameter of its focal spot, as well as the speed of movement along the surface of the processed material. The created program also allows to determine the dynamics of the position of two-dimensional liquidus and solidus lines for each metal included in the mixture. Using the created program, a computer simulation of the process of unsteady heating of a mixture of three metal powders in the same mass fractions: nickel, chromium and iron was carried out. Non-stationary temperature fields in the composite coating are obtained, considering its penetration and heating of the substrate. The depth of penetration of all metals, including the most low-melting one, was determined during laser remelting on a metal substrate in the production of a high-entropy alloy. The practical significance of the developed computer model lies in its use to predict the penetration depth of a composite coating under specified technological modes of laser remelting. At the same time, its adaptation is necessary, based on experimental data on the porosity and thickness of the coating before and after melting of simple metal systems with similar thermophysical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural radioactivity and trace elements content of two brands of shaving power that are commonly used by men were determined, in order to evaluate their radiological effect and health risk. The activity concentrations of the radionuclides were measured using gamma spectrometer equipped with calibrated NaI(Tl) detector system while the trace metals were measured using atomic absorption spectrophotometric (AAS) and energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) techniques. The averaged activity concentrations of 238U, 232Th and 40K were 2445.97 ± 9.29 Bq kg-1, 315.16 ± 17.72 Bq kg-1 and 50.45 ± 1.79 Bq kg-1 for 40K, 232Th and 238U, respectively. The equivalent dose had a mean value of 2.94 mSv year-1. The results of the trace elements analysis from both AAS and ED-XRF showed that iron had the highest concentration while selenium had the least concentration. ED-XRF showed a better recovery of the trace elements than AAS. The levels of the radionuclides identified were above the normal background for humans and the average concentrations of most of the trace metals were also above the permissible exposure limits, which can constitute health hazard to users of the shaving power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the laser-based directed energy deposition (DED-LB) processing, a WC-12Co composite coating with high hardness and strong wear resistance was successfully prepared on a 316L stainless steel substrate by adopting a high-precision coaxial powder feeding system using a spherical WC-12Co composite powder, which showed a large number of dendritic carbides and herringbone planar crystals on the substrate-binding interface. The influences of laser power on microstructural and mechanical properties (e.g., hardness, friction resistance) of WC-12Co composite surfaces were investigated. The results show that laser power has a significant effect on determining the degree of Co phase melting around the WC particles and the adhesion strength between the matrix and the coating. Lower laser power does not meet the melting requirements of WC particles, thus weakening the molding quality of the composite coating. At high laser power, it is possible to dissolve the WC particles and melt the metal powder between the particles, thus improving the material properties. The laser power increased from 700 W to 1000 W and the average hardness of the coating surface gradually increased from 1166.33 HV to 1395.70 HV, which is about 4–5 times higher than the average hardness of the substrate (about 281.76 HV). In addition, the coatings deposited at 1000 W showed better wear resistance. This work shows that the processing parameters during laser-directed energy deposition can be optimized to prepare WC-12Co composite coatings with excellent mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron has been considered a promising powdered metal fuel for enhancing composite propellants' energy output due to its high energy density. However, the high ignition temperature and low combustion efficiency limit the application of boron powder due to the high boiling point of the boron oxide layer. Much research is ongoing to overcome these shortcomings, and one potential approach is to introduce a small quantity of metal oxide additives to promote the reaction of boron. This study prepared boron-rich fuels with 10 wt% of eight nano-metal oxide additives by mechanical ball milling. The effect of metal oxides on the thermo-oxidation, ignition, and combustion properties of boron powder was comprehensively studied by the thermogravimetric analysis (TG), the electrically heated filament setup (T-jump), and the laser-induced combustion experiments. TG experiments at 5 K/min found that Bi2O3, MoO3, TiO2, Fe2O3, and CuO can promote thermo-oxidation of boron. Compared to pure boron, Tonset can be reduced from 569 °C to a minimum of 449 °C (B/Bi2O3). Infrared temperature measurement in T-jump tests showed that when heated by an electric heating wire at rates from 1000 K/s to 25000 K/s, the ignition temperatures of B/Bi2O3 are the lowest, even lower than the melting point of boron oxide. Ignition images and SEM for the products further showed that the high heating rate is beneficial to the rapid reaction of boron powder in the single-particle combustion state. Fuels (B/Bi2O3, B/MoO3, and B/CuO) were mixed with the oxidant AP and ignited by laser to study the combustion performance. The results showed that B/CuO/AP has the largest flame area, the highest BO2 characteristic spectral intensity, and the largest burn rate for powder lines. To combine the advantages of CuO and Bi2O3, binary metal oxide (CBO, mass ratio of 3:1) was prepared and the test results showed that CBO can very well improve both ignition and combustion properties of boron. Especially B/CBO/AP has the highest burn rate compared with all fuels containing other additives. It was found that multi-component metal-oxide additive can more synergistically improve the reaction characteristics of boron powder than unary additive. These findings contribute to the development of boron-rich fuels and their application in propellants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The service performance of chromium-free zinc–aluminum coatings exhibits characteristics from multiple perspectives. Fully considering the physical properties, corrosion resistance, and economic viability of the coatings, this study incorporates the concepts of "domain" and "degree" from extenics theory into the analytic hierarchy process to optimize the formulation of chromium-free zinc–aluminum coatings. The findings reveal that the extension analytic hierarchy process takes into account the diversity of evaluation indicators, enhancing the objectivity and accuracy of the comprehensive evaluation results. Nine formulations were developed using a four-factor, three-level orthogonal experiment to evaluate the effects of metal powder, PEG-400, KH-560, and sodium molybdate on the service performance of chromium-free zinc–aluminum coatings. Utilizing an extensible hierarchical sorting weight system alongside a performance index grading and scoring method, 3# emerged with the highest score, indicating the best overall performance. The research outcomes offer innovative insights and technical support for optimizing the formulations of chromium-free zinc–aluminum coatings and other coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the influence of powder reuse up to three times on directed energy deposition (DED) with laser processing has been studied. The work was carried out on two different gas atomized powders: a cobalt-based alloy type Stellite® 21, and a super duplex stainless steel type UNS S32750. One of the main findings is the influence of oxygen content of the reused powder particles on the final quality and densification of the deposited material and the powder catch efficiency of the laser deposition process. There is a direct relationship between a higher surface oxidation of the particles and the presence of oxygen content in the particles and in the as-built materials, as well as oxides, balance of phases (in the case of the super duplex alloy), pores and defects at the micro level in the laser-deposited material, as well as a decrease in the amount of material that actually melts, reducing powder catch efficiency (more than 12% in the worst case scenario) and the initial bead geometry (height and width) that was obtained for the same process parameters when the virgin powder was used (without oxidation and with original morphology of the powder particles). This causes some melting faults, oxides and formation of undesired oxide compounds in the microstructure, and un-balance of phases particularly in the super duplex stainless steel material, reducing the amount of ferrite from 50.1% to 37.4%, affecting in turn material soundness and its mechanical properties, particularly the hardness. However, the Stellite® 21 alloy type can be reused up to three times, while the super duplex can be reused only once without any major influence of the particles' surface oxidation on the deposited material quality and hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have reported that PLA-Al-based composite-based structures may be used in aerospace, automobiles, and biomedical applications. The present study investigated the fracture, morphological and mechanical characteristics of composite 3D-printed materials comprising polylactic acid (PLA) and aluminum (Al) metal powder. In the first stage, materials extrusion-based printing of PLA-Al composite structures was performed by material extrusion process varying the layer thickness (0.15, 0.20, and 0.25 mm), infill density (60, 80, and 100%) and infill pattern (Grid, Line, Zigzag). In the second stage, investigations have been made on the mechanical and morphological characteristics of the manufactured composite structures. The findings of the tensile study demonstrate that the composite structure prepared using 0.20 mm layer thickness, 80% infill density, and zigzag infill pattern possessed the highest tensile strength (39.13 MPa) and the minimum tensile strength (18.47 MPa) was noticed when it was manufactured using 0.15 mm layer thickness, 60% infill density and grid infill pattern. The results of the morphological analysis showed that the samples had a consistent microstructure with few visible cracks. These results suggest that 3D-printed PLA-Al composites have considerable mechanical and morphological characteristics, with possible applications in a variety of fields, like aviation, automobiles, and healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser cladding technology serves as a pivotal technique in industrial production, especially in the realms of additive manufacturing, surface enhancement, coating preparation, and the repair of part surfaces. This study investigates the influence of metal powder composition and processing parameters on laser cladding coatings utilizing the Taguchi orthogonal experimental design method. To optimize the laser cladding parameters, multi-response grey relational analysis (GRA) was employed, aiming to improve both the microhardness and the overall quality of the coatings. The optimal parameter combinations identified through GRA were subsequently validated through experimental tests. The results reveal that the microhardness and quality of the coatings are substantially influenced by several critical factors, including the powder feed rate, laser power, high-entropy alloy (HEA) addition rate, scanning speed, and substrate tilt angle. Specifically, the powder feed rate exerts the most significant effect on the microhardness, dilution rate, and average contact angle. In contrast, laser power primarily impacts the mean contact angle difference. The HEA addition rate notably affects the mean contact angle difference, while the scanning speed affects the microhardness and the substrate tilt angle influences the average contact angle. The results of the validation experiment showed a deviation of only 0.95% from the predicted values, underscoring the efficacy of the grey relational analysis (GRA) in optimizing the laser cladding process parameters. The methodology presented in this paper can be applied to determine the ideal processing parameters for multi-response laser cladding processes, encompassing applications such as surface peening and surface repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid advancement of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies has provided new avenues for creating three-dimensional (3D) parts with intricate geometries. Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is a prominent technology in this domain, involving the layer-by-layer fabrication of objects by extruding a filament comprising a blend of polymer and metal powder. This study focuses on the FDM process using a filament of Copper–Polylactic Acid (Cu-PLA) composite, which capitalizes on the advantageous properties of copper (high electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance) combined with the easily processable thermoplastic PLA material. The research delves into the impact of FDM process parameters, specifically, infill percentage (IP), infill pattern (P), and layer thickness (LT) on the maximum failure load (N), percentage of elongation at break, and weight of Cu-PLA composite filament-based parts. The study employs the response surface method (RSM) with Design-Expert V11 software. The selected parameters include infill percentage at five levels (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50%), fill patterns at five levels (Grid, Triangle, Tri-Hexagonal, Cubic-Subdivision, and Lines), and layer thickness at five levels (0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 mm). Also, the optimal factor values were obtained. The findings highlight that layer thickness and infill percentage significantly influence the weight of the samples, with an observed increase as these parameters are raised. Additionally, an increase in layer thickness and infill percentage corresponds to a higher maximum failure load in the specimens. The peak maximum failure load (230 N) is achieved at a 0.5 mm layer thickness and Tri-Hexagonal pattern. As the infill percentage changes from 10% to 50%, the percentage of elongation at break decreases. The maximum percentage of elongation at break is attained with a 20% infill percentage, 0.2 mm layer thickness, and 0.5 Cubic-Subdivision pattern. Using a multi-objective response optimization, the layer thickness of 0.152 mm, an infill percentage of 32.909%, and a Grid infill pattern was found to be the best configuration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Towards decarbonizing the carbothermic reduction of iron and steelmaking, which produces around 5% of global CO2 emissions, we herein propose a low-temperature electrolysis (100 °C) with 3D electrically–ionically conductive colloidal Fe2O3 electrodes as a novel and sustainable alternative. With the designed electrodes that offer a 3D conductive network to facilitate the electrochemical reduction of Fe2O3 at such a low temperature, high-purity Fe powder (>95%) can be produced with high current efficiency (>95%) and no direct CO2 emission. In addition to Fe, we also demonstrate the production of metal and alloy powders such as Cu, Ag, and an FeNi alloy using the proposed method. A techno-economic assessment of the process is performed to evaluate industrial feasibility as well as CO2 emission analysis. Altogether, this alternative process is green, environmentally friendly, and energy efficient, showing great potential for revolutionizing the conventional process that has had a significant environmental impact for decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: An alkyl radical initiated cyclization/tandem reaction of alkyl bromides and alkyl electrophiles by using potassium metabisulphite (K2S2O5) as a connector is developed for the synthesis of various lactam‐substituted alkyl sulfones. Notably, this process does not require a metal catalyst or metal powder reductant, highlighting its environmentally friendly features. The reaction demonstrates outstanding substrate adaptability and a high tolerance towards diverse functional groups. Furthermore, the biologically active molecules and commercially available drugs with a late‐stage modification are also highly compatible with this transformation. Mechanistic studies revealed that the reaction proceeds through a single‐step process involving intramolecular radical cyclization, "SO2" insertion, and external alkyl incorporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loose powder in metal hydride reactors poses challenges, such as poor thermal conductivity and tube deformation. To address these issues, the metal powder can be encapsulated in a polymer-based matrix to form pellets. This encapsulation helps make the pellets oxygen-impermeable, capable of accommodating the volumetric expansion of metal hydrides, and increases system processability. This study investigates the use of polymer-based pellets containing AB5-based compounds for ambient hydrogen storage. Polymers were selected using ANSYS Granta software, and polyethylene and polymethylmethacrylate were chosen. The AB5 alloy activation in the pellet occurs efficiently after 3 min at 20 °C and 30 bar of hydrogen, facilitated by ball milling-induced reactive surfaces and increased grain boundaries. The optimized pellet, comprising 90 wt% AB5 powder in a PE matrix, exhibits stable hydrogen storage properties, with good mechanical resistance and minimal powder loss (below 3%) over 20 hydrogen sorption cycles in an in-house fabricated single-tube metal hydride reactor. [Display omitted] • Loose metal hydride powder bound in a polymer matrix formed pellets without solvents, simplifying handling and processing. • PE and PMMA were selected via ANSYS Granta as suitable matrix materials for hydride pellets, ensuring effective binding. • 90 wt.% AB5 in a PE matrix demonstrated stable H₂ storage, strong mechanical properties, and less than 3% powder loss. • AB5 alloy in the pellets activated within 3 min at 20°C and 30 bar H₂, enabling rapid and efficient hydrogen storage. • Pellets maintained consistent performance through 20 hydrogen sorption cycles in a custom single-tube reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work four metal powder compositions of VZL718 (IN718) alloy are produced, one by vacuum induction melting and gas atomization (VIGA) technology and three by plasma melting and rotating billet centrifugal atomization (PREP) technology. Their particle size distributions, distribution parameters, technological properties, moisture content and gas impurity content of VIGA and PREP initial metal powder compositions are investigated. The differences between VIGA metal powder compositions and PREP metal powder compositions are shown and analyzed, and the differences are explained. Four selective laser melting processes are conducted using the VIGA and PREP metal powder compositions investigated. Particle size distributions, distribution parameters and process characteristics of VIGA metal powder compositions and PREP metal powder compositions after a single application in a selective laser melting process are investigated, and the differences between changes in characteristics and particle size distributions of VIGA and PREP metal powder compositions are revealed. The reasons for the changes identified in VIGA metal powder compositions and PREP metal powder compositions after selective laser melting and the relationships with initial metal powder composition characteristics are explained. Derivations and conclusions about further possibility of reuse of VIGA and PREP metal powder compositions after selective laser melting are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shape Memory Alloys (SMA) are materials used to design smart structures with intrinsic functional properties and improved efficiency. This is a key aspect of aerospace industry and makes SMA good candidates in this field. One of the most widespread SMA is the equiatomic NiTi alloy which, however, has the strong limitation of poor machinability, so only simple shapes can be obtained. Additive Manufacturing processes allow to overcome this limit and to design complex shapes. Compared to other metallic materials, the optimization of the process for NiTi alloy is complicated because, beside mechanical properties and presence of defects, considerable attention needs to be dedicated to the material functionality. The high temperatures involved in the additive process significantly affect the material properties due to possible evaporation of Ni and formation of precipitates that enable a shift of the phase transformation temperatures. This paper is focused on the optimization of the process parameters of the NiTi alloy printed through the Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF) to ensure optimal pseudo-elastic behaviour, which is essential for the design of structural dampers. This was accomplished starting from simple structures and then designing a damper that couples the pseudoelasticity of NiTi with load support capacity. The L-PBF is a powder-bed technique that selectively melts layers of micrometric metal powder. A pseudoelastic NiTi powder with 50.8 at. % of Ni content was selected and characterized through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and observations connected to an Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX) probe. After that, some cubic samples were manufactured, with the dimension of 3 × 3 × 15 mm3. A set of different laser powers and scanning speeds were used to find the set of process parameters that optimize the functional properties of the printed parts. Near fully dense specimens with density higher than 99.5 % were selected for further investigations. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and mechanical tests were performed on as-built and heat-treated samples. Quasi-static mechanical tests were accomplished in compression mode, at different strains, up to 8 %. It was observed that the residual strain for cyclic loading at 4 % is lower than 1 %, so good recovery of the deformation was shown. Moreover, numerical analyses that mimic the pseudoelastic behaviour in compression tests were implemented. Finally, the best set of parameters was selected on the basis of the material's ability to recover deformations and its loss factor. • Optimization of process parameters for functional behaviour of SMA. • Design of damping structure using pseudoelastic effect of Nitinol. • Internal defects observation of manufactured specimens. • Compression tests on as built and thermal treated specimens with strain up to 8 %. • Numerical simulation of compression tests with experimental correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the quality issues of highly filled compounds used in metal injection molding, the current research is focused on intercepting flow-induced inhomogeneities in multiphase compounds resulting from the segregation of metal powder particles from (typically) three/four-component polymer binders, resulting in an unacceptable porosity of the final sintered metal parts. A recently developed nondestructive approach for quantifying the extent of these flow-induced defects was employed to study the effect of the size and shape of water- and gas-atomized 17-4PH stainless steel powders on segregation. This method combines scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy with an in-house analytical tool. The results show a higher tendency of coarser particles (D50 of 20 μm) for flow-induced defects, while an irregular shape (water-atomized particles) reduces this unwanted phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) contain some valuable metals. Smelting reduction of spent LIBs produces metallic alloys containing Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Ni. Leaching of the metallic alloys with inorganic acid solutions and subsequent separation of Cu(II), Fe(III) and Mn(II) results in a solution containing Co(II) and Ni(II). In this work, solvent extraction and chemical reduction experiments were performed to recover pure metals from this solution. Cobalt(II) was first separated from Ni(II) by solvent extraction with saponified Cyanex 272. Batch simulation experiments based on the McCabe-Thiele diagram for the extraction of Co(II) verified the complete separation of Co(II) from Ni(II). Hydrazine was then employed as a reducing agent for Co(II) and Ni(II) from the stripping solution and the raffinate, respectively. The effect of several variables on the reduction such as the molar ratio of hydrazine to metal ion, reaction time, temperature, and solution pH was investigated. It was found that the reduced metals could be dissolved owing to the oxidizing action of hydrazonium in acidic solution. Addition of NH4Cl was effective in suppressing the dissolution of the reduced metals. Especially, there was an optimum molar ratio of NH4Cl at which maximum reduction of Co(II) was obtained. The recovery percentages of Co and Ni powder were higher than 99.1% and 99.9%, respectively, and the purity of the reduced metals was higher than 99.9%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser-based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M) is the most used additive manufacturing (AM) technology for metal parts. Nevertheless, challenges persist in effectively managing metal powder, particularly in blending methodologies in the choice of blenders as well as in the verification of blend results. In this study, a bespoke laboratory-scale AM blender is developed, tailored to address these challenges, prioritizing low-impact blending to mitigate powder degradation. As a blending type, a V-shape tumbling geometry meeting the requirements for laboratory AM usage is chosen based on a literature assessment. The implementation of thermal oxidation as a powder marking technique enables particle tracing. Blending validation is achieved using light microscopy for area measurement based on binary image processing. The powder size and shape remain unaffected after marking and blending. Only a small narrowing of the particle size distribution is detected after 180 min of blending. The V-shape tumbling blender efficiently yields a completely random state in under 10 min for rotational speeds of 20, 40, and 60 rounds per minute. In conclusion, this research underscores the critical role of blender selection in AM and advocates for continued exploration to refine powder blending practices, with the aim of advancing the capabilities and competitiveness of AM technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous efforts in the additive manufacturing literature have been made toward in-situ defect prediction for process control and optimization. However, the current work in the literature is limited by the need for multi-sensory data in appropriate resolution and scale to capture defects reliably and the need for systematic experimental and data-driven modeling validation to prove utility. For the first time in literature, we propose a data-driven neural network framework capable of in-situ micro-porosity localization for laser powder bed fusion via exclusively within hatch strip of sensory data, as opposed to a three-dimensional neighborhood of sensory data. We further propose using prior-guided neural networks to utilize the often-abundant nominal data in the form of a prior loss, enabling the machine learning structure to comply more with process physics. The proposed methods are validated via rigorous experimental data sets of high-strength aluminum A205 parts, repeated k-fold cross-validation, and prior-guided validation. Using exclusively within hatch stripe data, we detect and localize porosity with a spherical equivalent diameter (SED) smaller than 50.00 μ m with a classification accuracy of 73.13 ± 1.57 % This is the first work in the literature demonstrating in-situ localization of porosities as small as 38.12 μ m SED and is more than a five-fold improvement on the smallest SED porosity localization via spectral emissions sensory data in the literature. In-situ localizing micro-porosity using exclusively within hatch-stripe data is a significant step towards within-layer defect mitigation, advanced process feedback control, and compliance with the reliability certification requirements of industries such as the aerospace industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel silicides are crucial in advanced technology applications ranging from semiconductor devices to high-temperature materials. Gas atomization is a process that involves the formation of fine liquid droplets and their rapid cooling and solidification to make powder particles. The final microstructure and the properties of the particles are highly sensitive to the gas atomization process parameters. In the present study, gas atomization of NiSi12-wt% was performed at three different pressures (35, 40, and 45 bars) to optimize the particle size distribution for additive manufacturing applications. A comprehensive range of characterization techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, particle size distribution measurements, light optical microscopy, and density measurements, was used to evaluate the microstructural features, phase composition, and density of the produced NiSi12-wt% powders. Higher atomizing gas pressures resulted in a finer particle size distribution due to improved molten droplet breakup, increased satellite formation, and a well-suited particle size distribution for additive manufacturing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review explores the critical role of powder quality in metal 3D printing and the importance of effective powder recycling strategies. It covers various metal 3D printing technologies, in particular Selective Laser Melting, Electron Beam Melting, Direct Energy Deposition, and Binder Jetting, and analyzes the impact of powder characteristics on the final part properties. This review highlights key challenges associated with powder recycling, including maintaining consistent particle size and shape, managing contamination, and mitigating degradation effects from repeated use, such as wear, fragmentation, and oxidation. Furthermore, it explores various recycling techniques, such as sieving, blending, plasma spheroidization, and powder conditioning, emphasizing their role in restoring powder quality and enabling reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenic containing non-ferrous metal and precious metal sulfide ore will produce acidic high concentration arsenic solution in the smelting process, which has the characteristics of high arsenic concentration, complex composition, large changes, strong toxicity and difficult to store, such as direct discharge without treatment, will have a great impact on the environment and human health. In this paper, the principles, advantages and disadvantages of chemical precipitation method, evaporation enrichment method and metal powder method are reviewed, as well as the research progress of each method, so as to provide reference for the development of arsenic removal technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation of the geometry and internal grain size changes of laser cladding has been extensively studied, with the majority of such simulations focusing on pure metal powders. However, there are fewer simulations for aluminum-based composite coatings by laser cladding. In this paper, a new three-dimensional model of laser cladding composite coatings is proposed, which can accurately determine the geometrical size of the AlSiTiNiCo-WC cladding layer and the internal grain morphology and grain size changes of the cladding layer. The temperature-selective judgment mechanism and material thermal property calculation ensure the calculation accuracy of the composite coating, while the model accurately and intuitively determines the state changes of the composite coating in the process of laser cladding. Furthermore, the model verifies the feasibility of the exponential decay laser source in the simulation of composite cladding, and temperature field analysis accurately predicts the trends of grain morphology and grain size inside the cladding. The simulation results show that the variation of the laser scanning speed has a more pronounced effect on the depth of the cladding layer. The high-temperature gradient at the top of the molten pool is more likely to form fine grains, and the bottom of the cladding layer tends to form coarse columnar crystals with the increase in the internal temperature gradient at the depth. The simulation results were compared with experimental results to validate the accuracy of the simulation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present research, it is reported that ball milling technique can be applied to enhance the photocatalytic properties of MnO and ZrO 2 metal oxide powders (MZOx) furthermore the fabricated photocatalyst can be used for the degradation of tetracycline (TTC). XRD analyses revealed that increasing the milling time resulted in the formation of a pure metallic Mn crystal phase, which boosted the antibiotic degradation rate. It was confirmed by SEM technique that the morphological structures of the particles were generally small and uniform. The band gap energy was calculated as 3.70 eV for the hybrid metal oxide. Additionally, the adsorptive and photoluminescence features were illuminated via DRS and PL analyses. The effect of milling time had a major impact on the photodegradation rate of TTC, and the 8 h milling sample (MZOx-8h) exhibited the highest catalytic degradation activity (79.4 %). Low photocatalytic activity was obtained at acidic pHs and increased at alkaline pHs. The presence of H 2 O 2 sharply decreased photocatalytic process time (60 min) and 94.3 % of the TTC was degraded at 7.5 mM H 2 O 2. The photocatalytic degradation process proceeded through superoxide radicals and was supported by holes. The stability of MZOx-8h almost remained constant (70.02 %) even after seven cycles. It was determined that the presence of oxalic acid positively affected the progress of TTC degradation reactions. Further, practical application areas were investigated and MZOx-8h doped on support materials was found to be suitable for such applications in proportion to the doping ratio. Finally, it was demonstrated that MZOx-8h exhibited remarkable performance in photocatalytic reactions of different types of organic pollutants. The synergistic nature of MnO and ZrO 2 with the contribution of ball milling time effect resulted in high photocatalytic activity. • High purity metallic Mn phase was successfully synthesized by ball-milling. • MZOx was used for the first time in TTC photodegradation. • TTC degradation was stable in the seventh cycle. • The different organic pollutants were removed with high efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method to assess the quality of additive manufacturing (AM) metal powders using the triboelectric charging concept is demonstrated using CpTi, Ti6Al4V, AlSi10Mg, IN 738, and SS 316L powders. For each powder tested, the surface chemical composition was first analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) to determine the composition of the passivation layer. Some modifications to the current GranuCharge™ setup, developed by GranuTools™, were then performed by incorporating a flow rate measuring tool to assess how tribocharging is affected as a function of flow rate. Variations in the tribocharging response have been found with the flow rate of CpTi, AlSi10Mg and SS 316L powders. Moreover, results suggest that the tribocharging behavior might not be the same even with powders fabricated with the same passivation process. Finally, the compressed exponential model of Trachenko and Zaccone was used to reproduce the tribocharging behavior of the powders. The models were found to work best when the stretch constant β = 1.5, which is identical to the value found in other systems such as structural glasses, colloidal gels, entangled polymers, and supercooled liquids, which experience jamming when motion of individual particles become restricted, causing their motion to slow down. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron beam selective melting is a metal powder bed fusion additive manufacturing technology. In order to study the temperature field and melt pool changes of high Nb-TiAl electron beam selective melting on a single scan line and multi-scan lines. In this paper, two three-dimensional thermal-fluid models are established to simulate the evolution of the melt pool and temperature field at different electron beam scanning speeds under a single scan line and the evolution of the temperature field under multi-scan lines. The simulation results of a single scan line show that the length of the bath increases with the increase in the electron beam scanning speed, while the width and depth of the bath decrease with the increase in the speed. The scanning speed has a significant impact on the length and depth of the micro-bath, but the impact on the width is relatively small. The simulation results of multi-scan lines show that the preheating temperature has a greater influence on the melting temperature field, while the size of the scanning current has a smaller influence on the temperature field. The conclusion drawn from the results obtained through simulation is that the temperature during the preheating process must be strictly controlled, and the melting process speed must be appropriately set in order to obtain high-quality samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the possibility of synthesizing Co nanoparticles in CoZrnH/AlOx(OH)y/Al ceramic–metal catalysts and controlling the catalytic properties of these nanoparticles in syngas conversion by changing the Co/Zr ratio. The CoZr nanocomposites were obtained from metal powders by mechanochemical activation in a high-energy mill under an argon atmosphere, followed by treatment with hydrogen at high pressure and room temperature. Ceramic–metal catalysts were prepared by mixing the corresponding CoZrnH powder nanocomposite (30 wt%) with powdered aluminum (70 wt%), hydrothermal treatment of the mixture and subsequent calcination. The materials were characterized with a set of physicochemical methods: powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, 59Co internal field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and temperature programmed reduction. Catalytic studies were performed in a laboratory fixed-bed flow reactor at 2 MPA and 210–270 °C. It is shown that the activity in syngas conversion to C5+ hydrocarbons and selectivity to methane and C2–C4 hydrocarbons depend on the Co/Zr ratio. Thus, with an increase in the zirconium content in the samples, the interaction of metal cobalt with metal zirconium improves in the process of mechanical activation and subsequent treatment with hydrogen. The destruction of the agglomerates of crystallites of metallic cobalt in the form of β-Co (Cofcc) occurs as well as their transformation to α-Co (Cohcp) particles active in the syngas conversion to C5+ hydrocarbons. This can explain the highest specific yield of C5+ hydrocarbons on a cermet with the lowest Co/Zr ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve Si‐free refractory ceramic matrix composites exposed to an oxidizing atmosphere at approximately 2000°C, a Ti–Zr–Mo ternary alloy melt‐infiltration (MI) method was developed for the production of carbon fiber‐reinforced refractory high‐entropy ceramic matrix composites (C/RHECs), with high‐entropy carbides serving as the matrix. This approach was designed using calculation phase diagrams (CALPHADs) and the calculation of thermodynamic parameters. The combination of CALPHAD and the calculation of alloy and carbon reactivity enabled the prediction of reaction and infiltration behavior into a preform comprising carbon fiber, carbon black, and transition metal carbide powders. Furthermore, C/RHECs featuring a (Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Nb, Mo)C matrix were experimentally fabricated through the Ti–Zr–Mo alloy MI method in accordance with the design. The arc‐wind tunnel tests on the C/RHECs conducted at approximately 2000°C revealed surfaces covered with complex oxides. The apparent oxidation rate of the C/RHECs was similar to that of Si‐containing ceramics and composites. These results indicate that complex oxides act as a barrier to oxygen diffusion toward unoxidized regions, making Si no longer essential for protecting materials from oxidation above 2000°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High entropy monoborides powders are mainly prepared from metal and boron powders which can be costly. In this study, a novel approach starting from mixed oxides, boron carbide, and graphite was first developed to synthesize quaternary monoboride powders by combining multiple boro/carbothermal reductions (MBCTR). As an exemplar, (Mo0.25W0.25Cr0.25Ta0.25)B powders with purity up to 94.3 wt.% were successfully synthesized by heating the mixtures in vacuum at 1650°C for three times, as‐synthesized powders exhibit fine particle size (<1 µm) and uniform elemental distribution. MBCTR not only increased the purity of monoborides but resulted in abundant twins and stacking faults in the final powders. This work has proposed a new and low‐cost strategy of synthesizing high‐purity and fine monoboride powders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3D printing is an excellent choice for manufacture of ceramic cores; however, the inter-layer structures in 3D printed sample leads to anisotropy in microstructure and properties. In this paper, silica-based ceramic cores were prepared by digital light processing, and metallic Si powder was employed as mineralizer to relieve the anisotropy. The metallic Si powder converts into SiO 2 in oxidation reaction with significant volume expansion, which inhibits the shrinkage rate and partly fills the interlayer gaps of the ceramic core. Meanwhile, the metal Si powder leads to lower curing thickness in 3D printing, and thicken the interlayer gaps. Due to the cooperation of the oxidation reaction and decreased curing thickness by the metallic Si powder, the 0.4 wt% of metallic Si powder reduced the anisotropy in structure and mechanical property due to the alleviated inter-layer structure and the interlayer and intralayer strengths show optimal values of 11.4 MPa and 17.2 MPa at room temperature, respectively. This work inspires new guidance to 3D printing of ceramic cores with uniform microstructure and excellent mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses recent developments in materials and test method standards in the field of powder metallurgy. The Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF) and the Metal Powder Producers Association (MPPA) are responsible for maintaining and developing these standards. The article highlights changes made to material standards, such as the addition of data for different alloys and the inclusion of new sinter hardened materials. It also discusses the Test Methods Assurance Program (TMAP), which allows participating companies to compare the accuracy of their test results with others in the industry. Additionally, the article mentions updates made to specific test method standards, such as tensile properties and particle size analysis. The given text provides information on recent developments in materials and test method standards by the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF). The text includes data tables and descriptions of various standards, such as MPIF Standard 43 for apparent hardness of powder metallurgy (PM) products, MPIF Standard 46 for tap density of metal powders, MPIF Standard 58 for surface roughness of PM products, and MPIF Standard 75 for flow rate of metal powders using the Carney flowmeter funnel. The text also mentions the need for interlaboratory studies to determine the precision of these test methods. The text discusses various developments in materials and test method standards in the field of powder metallurgy. It mentions the availability of a certified calibration powder for Carney flow rate testing and the development of a new standard for determining ejection stresses for un [Extracted from the article]

This document discusses tension testing of powder metallurgy (PM) copper steels. It explains the conventional flat test specimen used for tension testing as-sintered PM materials and the challenges of testing heat-treated PM materials. The document also explores the evolution of machined round tension test specimens and concludes with a summary of a new testing program conducted by the Metal Powder Industries Federation (MPIF) Standards Committee. The results of the testing program include measurements of density, chemical composition, apparent hardness, microindentation hardness profiles, and microstructure analysis. The document provides revised ultimate tensile strength values for heat-treated PM copper steels, which are higher than previously published values. It acknowledges the contributions of various organizations and provides references for further reading. [Extracted from the article]

This article provides an overview of the powder metallurgy (PM) industry in North America in 2024. The automotive market is a major driver of the industry, with a shift towards hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (HEV and PHEV) due to environmental concerns. Lightweight metals like aluminum, magnesium, and titanium are expected to increase in use, but ferrous alloys will remain the most used due to their strength and cost-effectiveness. Other growth opportunities for PM include energy, aerospace, medical, electrical, defense, and consumer products. Metal powder shipments in 2023 decreased overall, with iron powder shipments down by over 10%. However, there is optimism for the future of PM in various industries, including AM and MIM. The P&S parts makers in the automotive industry faced challenges, but new opportunities are emerging with the shift to electric motors. The metal additive manufacturing (AM) sector is dependent on advancements in materials and manufacturing processes, with new materials and equipment being developed. Overall, the PM industry in North America is facing both challenges and opportunities in various sectors. The article also discusses the use of advanced simulation software in metal AM parts, the standard test methods issued by the Association for Metal Additive Manufacturing (AMAM), the healthy state of the metal injection molding (MIM) industry, the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on tungsten powder demand, and the need for investment in R&D and the development of people to advance PM technology. [Extracted from the article]

Metal Additive manufacturing (AM) can produce mechanical parts of complex structures such as lattice structures and hollow structures that are difficult to fabricate by subtractive processing. The main AM methods using metal materials are powder bed fusion (PBF), directed energy deposition (DED), and material extrusion (ME). The ME method is acknowledged as being inexpensive and convenient for manufacturing parts. However, the ME method using metal material requires a sintering process using a furnace after the AM process. Sintering generates shape errors in parts with a hollow structure, which is a characteristic of AM. Various factors cause shape errors, including the temperature control parameters in sintering. In this study, we investigated the effect of tool paths on shape errors caused in sintering and proposed a tool path that suppresses shape error. Experiments on the effect of the infill structure on shape error revealed that a smooth contact between the contour path and infill path can suppress shape errors in sintering. It was also determined that the overlap of infill paths decreases shape errors in sintering. These results demonstrate that the dominant factor causing shape errors is the tool path, rather than the kind of the infill structure. Based on this result, another experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of tool paths on shape errors in sintering. Among the tool path features, we focused on the material amount instability caused by retraction and excessive self-overlapping at the contact points between the contour and infill paths. The results demonstrated that the unstable feeding of material at the contact points owing to retraction and excessive self-overlapping caused a non-uniform filling rate and thickness variations in the specimens. This, in turn, affected the shape error in sintering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cold spray deposition technique has been used to produce a new class of solid lubricant coatings using powder feedstocks of the metal disulfides WS2 or MoS2, either pure or mixed with Cu and Ni metal powders. Friction and cycle lives were obtained using ball-on-flat reciprocating tribometry of coated 304 SS flats in dry nitrogen and vacuum at higher Hertzian contact stresses (Smax = 1386 MPa (201 ksi)). The measured friction and thickness of the coatings were much lower than for previous studies (COF = 0.03 ± 0.01 and ≤1 µm, respectively), which is due to their high metal disulfide:metal ratios. Cu-containing metal sulfide coatings exhibited somewhat higher cycle lifetimes than the pure metal sulfide coatings, even though the Cu content was only ~1 wt%. Profiling of wear tracks for coatings tested to 3000 cycles (i.e., pre-failure) yielded specific wear rates in the range 3–7 × 10−6 mm3N−1m−1, similar to other solid lubricant coatings. When compared to other coating techniques, the cold spray method represents a niche that has heretofore been vacant. In particular, it will be useful in many precision ball-bearing applications that require higher throughput and lower costs than sputter-deposited MoS2-based coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal additive manufacturing technology has developed by leaps and bounds in recent years; selective laser melting technology is a major form in metal additive manufacturing, and its application scenarios are numerous. For example, it is involved in many fields including aerospace field, automotive, mechanical processing, and the nuclear industry. At the same time, it also indirectly provides more raw materials for all walks of life in our country. However, during the selective laser melting process, due to the action of high-energy-density lasers, the temperature of most metal powders can reach above the vaporization temperature. Light metals with relatively low vaporization temperatures such as magnesium and zinc have more significant vaporization and other behaviors. At the same time, during the metal vaporization process, a variety of by-products are generated, which seriously affect the forming quality and mechanical properties of the workpiece, resulting in the workpiece quality possibly not reaching the expected target. This paper mainly interprets the metal vaporization behavior in the LPBF process and summarizes the international research progress and suppression methods for vaporization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the potential benefits of integrating coarser particle size distributions (PSDs) of 45–106 µm into laser-based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M), aiming to reduce costs while maintaining quality standards. Despite the considerable advantages of PBF-LB/M for producing intricate geometries with high precision, the high cost of metal powders remains a barrier to its widespread adoption. By exploring the use of coarser PSDs, particularly from electron beam-based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-EB/M), significant cost-saving opportunities are identified. Through a comprehensive powder characterization, process analysis, and mechanical property evaluation, this study demonstrates that PBF-LB/M can effectively utilize coarser powders while achieving comparable mechanical properties as those produced with a 20–53 µm PSD. Adaptations to the process parameters enable the successful processing of coarser powders, maintaining high relative density components with minimal porosity. Additionally, market surveys reveal substantial cost differentials between PBF-LB/M and PBF-EB/M powders, indicating a 40% cost reduction potential for the feedstock material by integrating coarser PSDs into PBF-LB/M. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the economic and technical feasibility of printing with coarser powders in PBF-LB/M, offering promising avenues for cost reduction without compromising quality, thus enhancing competitiveness and the adoption of the technology in manufacturing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing demand for batteries with high‐energy densities for applications such as electric vehicles necessitates a paradigm shift from the use of conventional graphite as anodes. Li metal is spotlighted as a replacement for graphite due to its ultrahigh theoretical capacity (3860 mAh g−1). However, Li metal foil is plagued with limited cycle life and safety concerns due to poor Coulombic efficiency and uncontrollable growth of Li dendrites. To overcome these challenges, utilizing Li metal in powder form instead of the conventional foil proves to be advantageous. The anode consisting of spherical‐shaped Li metal powders (LMPs) has a larger surface area than Li metal foil, resulting in a lower effective current density. Furthermore, using the powder‐based slurry process facilitates the fabrication of large‐area and thin‐film (≤20 μm) Li anodes. In this review, the various fabrication methods and surface stabilization techniques of LMPs are summarized with their associated patents. Also, research trends with regard to LMP‐based anodes toward high‐performance Li metal batteries (LMBs) are carefully presented. Additionally, the application of LMPs as prelithiation agents in electrode active materials for batteries and capacitors is outlined. Finally, perspectives are suggested regarding the future of LMPs to accelerate the commercialization of advanced LMBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is additive manufacturing (AM) a sustainable process? Can the process be optimised to produce sustainable AM parts and production techniques? Additive manufacturing offers the production of parts made of different types of materials in addition to the complex geometry that is difficult or impossible to produce by using the traditional subtractive methods. This study is focused on the optimisation of laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF), one of the most common technologies used in additive manufacturing and 3D printing. This research was carried out by modulating the build layer thickness of the deposited metal powder and the input volumetric energy density. The aim of the proposed strategy is to save the build time by maximizing the applied layer thickness of nitinol powder while retrieving the different AM part properties. The saving in the process time has a direct effect on the total cost of the produced part as a result of several components like electric energy, inert gas consumption, and labour. Nickel-rich nitinol (52.39 Ni at.%) was selected for investigation in this study due to its extremely high superplastic and shape memory properties in addition to the wide application in various industries like aerospace, biomedical, and automotive. The results obtained show that significant energy and material consumption can be found by producing near full dens AM parts with limited or no alteration in chemical and mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving a homogeneous and uniform powder bed surface as well as a defined, uniform layer thickness is crucial for achieving reproducible component properties that meet requirements when powder bed fusion of metals with a laser beam. The existing recoating processes cause wear of the recoater blade due to protruded, melted obstacles, which affects the powder bed surface quality locally. Impairments to the powder bed surface quality have a negative effect on the resulting component properties such as surface quality and relative density. This can lead either to scrapped components or to additional work steps such as surface reworking. In this work, an electric smoother is presented with which a wear-free and contactless smoothing of the powder bed can be realized. The achievable powder bed surface quality was analyzed using optical profilometry. It was found that the electric smoother can compensate for impairments in the powder bed surface and achieve a reproducible surface quality of the powder bed regardless of the initial extent of the impairments. Consequently, the electric smoother offers a promising opportunity to reduce the scrap rate in PBF-LB/M and to increase component quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive use of Li-ion batteries in electric vehicles, electronics, and other energy storage applications has resulted in a need to recycle valuable metals Li, Mn, Ni, and Co in these devices. In this work, an aqueous mixture of glycolic and lactic acid is shown as an excellent leaching agent to recover these critical metals from spent Li-ion laptop batteries combined with cathode and anode coatings without adding hydrogen peroxide or other reducing agents. An aqueous acid mixture of 0.15 M in glycolic and 0.35 M in lactic acid showed the highest leaching efficiencies of 100, 100, 100, and 89% for Li, Ni, Mn, and Co, respectively, in an experiment at 120 °C for 6 h. Subsequently, the chelate solution was evaporated to give a mixed metal-hydroxy acid chelate gel. Pyrolysis of the dried chelate gel at 800 °C for 15 h could be used to burn off hydroxy acids, regenerating lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide, and the novel method presented to avoid the precipitation of metals as hydroxide or carbonates. The Li, Ni, Mn, and Co ratio of regenerated lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide is comparable to this metal ratio in pyrolyzed electrode coating and showed similar powder X-ray diffractograms, suggesting the suitability of α-hydroxy carboxylic acid mixtures as leaching agents and ligands in regeneration of mixed metal oxide via pyrolysis of the dried chelate gel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to supply high-purity process gas in the semiconductor manufacturing process, a gas filter is used to remove particles that may be contained in the gas. However, because the gas filters currently in use have simple pore structures, there is a need to increase filtration efficiency through the development of filters with complex pore structures. In this study, a metal powder filter with double-layered pores was manufactured using a Wet Powder Spraying process (WPS) to increase the filtering efficiency of gas filters used in semiconductor manufacturing. The effects of the mixing ratio of spherical-shape and flake-shape powders and the rolling process on the filter's characteristics were investigated. The filter's performance, microstructure, and surface roughness were evaluated by measuring porosity and gas permeability. The results showed that as the ratio of flake-shaped powder decreased, the thickness of the coating layer and the porosity of the filter decreased. Additionally, it was observed that as the rolling process progressed, the non-uniform pore structure was oriented parallel to the cross-section of the filter regardless of the mixing ratio. Measurements found that the gas permeability of the uncoated filter support was the highest, and that gas permeability decreased as the proportion of spherical powder increased regardless of the average particle size of the mixed powder. Lower gas permeability was observed in rolled samples. A filtration efficiency of LRV 3 or higher was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, significant research has focused on detecting abnormalities in metal laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) additive manufacturing. Effective online monitoring systems are crucial for enhancing process stability, repeatability, and the quality of final components. Therefore, the development of in situ detection mechanisms has become essential for metal L-PBF systems, making efficient closed-loop control strategies to adjust process parameters in real time vital. This paper presents an overview of current in situ monitoring systems used in metal L-PBF, complemented by ex situ characterizations. It discusses in situ techniques employed in L-PBF and evaluates the applicability of commercial systems. The review covers optical, thermal, acoustic, and X-ray in situ methods, along with destructive and non-destructive ex situ methods like optical, Archimedes, and X-ray characterization techniques. Each technique is analyzed based on the sensor used for defect detection and the type or size of defects. Optical in situ monitoring primarily identifies large defects from powder bed abnormalities, while thermal methods detect defects as small as 100 µm and keyholes. Thermal in situ detection techniques are notable for their applicability to commercial devices and efficacy in detecting subsurface defects. Computed tomography scanning excels in locating porosity in 3D space with high accuracy. This study also explores the advantages of multi-sensor in situ techniques, such as combining optical and thermal sensors, and concludes by addressing current research needs and potential applications of multi-sensor systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, CoCrMo cuboid samples were deposited on a CuZrCr substrate using laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF) technology to investigate the influence of process parameters and laser remelting strategies on the mechanical properties and interface characteristics of multi-metals. This study found that process parameters and laser scanning strategies had a significant influence on the mechanical properties and interface characteristics. Samples fabricated with an E V ≤ 20 J/mm3 showed little tensile ductility. As the volumetric energy density ( E V ) increased to a range between 40 J/mm3 and 100 J/mm3, the samples achieved the desired mechanical properties, with a strong interface combining the alloys. However, an excessive energy density could result in cracks due to thermal stress. Laser remelting significantly improved the interface properties, especially when the E V was below 40 J/mm3. Variances in the E V showed little influence on the hardness at the CuZrCr end, while the hardness at the interface and the CoCrMo end showed an increasing and decreasing trend with an increase in the E V , respectively. Interface characterization showed that when the E V was greater than 43 J/mm3, the main defects in the L-PBF CoCrMo samples were thermal cracks, which gradually changed to pores with a lack of fusion when the E V decreased. This study provides theoretical and technical support for the manufacturing of multi-metal parts using L-PBF technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic abrasive finishing (MAF) is an efficient finishing process method using magnetic abrasive particles (MAPs) as finishing tools. In this study, two iron-based alumina magnetic abrasives with different particle size ranges were synthesized by the plasma molten metal powder and powder jetting method. Characterization of the magnetic abrasives in terms of microscopic morphology, phase composition, magnetic permeability, particle size distribution, and abrasive ability shows that the magnetic abrasives are spherical in shape, that the hard abrasives are combined in the surface layer of the iron matrix and remain sharp, and that the hard abrasives combined in the surface layer of the magnetic abrasives with smaller particle sizes are sparser than those of the magnetic abrasives with larger particle sizes. The magnetic abrasives are composed of α-Fe and Al2O3; the magnetic permeability of the magnetic abrasives having smaller particle sizes is slightly higher than that of the magnetic abrasives having larger particle sizes; the two magnetic abrasives are distributed in a range of different particle sizes; the magnetic abrasives have different magnetic permeabilities, which are higher than those of the larger ones; both magnetic abrasives are distributed in the range of smaller particle sizes; and AZ31B alloy can obtain smaller surface roughness of the workpiece after the grinding process of the magnetic abrasives with a small particle size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was the additive microplasma powder deposition of 3D metal products. The regularities of the influence of technological parameters of additive microplasma deposition of spatial objects using the powder filler material of a Fe–Cr–Ni–B–Si system on the formation of the microstructure and stress–strain state of 3D product material were studied in this work. Product walls with a layered metal structure with a deposited layer height of about 650 µm and 3.0–3.5 mm thickness were formed as a result of additive microplasma deposition of the HYF–103 powder of a Fe–Cr–Ni–B–Si system. The deposited metal ensured a high ultimate strength (above 600 MPa). The finite element method was used to derive the solution of the thermomechanical problem of additive deposition of 3D prototypes («cylinder», «triangular prism», «square prism», «reverse cone», «straight cone») with HYF–103 powder. The equivalent stresses of the highest magnitude (565 MPa) were predicted in the model sample of the "reverse cone" type, and the lowest stresses (552 MPa) were present in the sample of the "straight cone" type. For all the models, the maximal values of radial movements corresponded to the range of 0.22–0.28 mm. The respective technological mode of deposition was selected to minimize the stress–strain state of the produced 3D objects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]