ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF GAS TURBINE COMPONENTS USING CARBON NANOSTRUCTURES
A component for a gas turbine engine can be made via additive manufacturing. During the additive manufacturing process a powder can be used that comprises a superalloy material ( 12 ) and carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ). Components made using the powder can have preferred characteristics at certain locations through the use of the carbon nanostructure based additive manufacturing powder.
1 . A gas turbine component made via additive manufacturing comprising:
superalloy material ( 12 ) and carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ), wherein the carbon nanostructures are interspersed throughout the gas turbine component via additive manufacturing.
2 . The gas turbine component of claim 1 , wherein the superalloy material ( 12 ) is a nickel based superalloy material or a cobalt based superalloy material.
3 . The gas turbine component of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) are selected from a group consisting of single-or multi-walled carbon nanotubes, nanobuds, spherical fullerene, graphene, or carbon nano-yarn.
4 . The gas turbine component of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) comprise more than one type of carbon nanostructure selected from the group consisting of single-or multi-walled carbon nanotubes, nanobuds, spherical fullerene, graphene, or carbon nano-yarn.
5 . The gas turbine component of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) are interspersed homogenously throughout the gas turbine component.
6 . The gas turbine component of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) are interspersed throughout the gas turbine component at different concentration levels.
7 . The gas turbine component of claim 1 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) are interspersed throughout the gas turbine component at different concentration levels and comprise more than one type of carbon nanostructure.
8 . The gas turbine component of claim 7 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) are selected from a group consisting of one carbon nanostructure selected from the group consisting of single-or multi-walled carbon nanotubes, nanobuds, spherical fullerene, graphene, or carbon nano-yarn.
9 . The gas turbine component of claim 1 , wherein the superalloy material ( 12 ) and the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) form composite particles ( 10 a, 10 b ) for use in the additive manufacturing process.
10 . A method of making a component comprising:
using an additive manufacturing powder in an additive manufacturing apparatus in order to form the gas turbine component via additive manufacturing, wherein the additive manufacturing powder is a composition comprising superalloy material ( 12 ) and carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ).
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the super alloy material ( 12 ) is a nickel based superalloy material or a cobalt based superalloy material.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) are selected from a group consisting of single-or multi-walled carbon nanotubes, nanobuds, spherical fullerene, graphene, or carbon nano-yarn.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) comprise more than one type and size of carbon nanostructure selected from the group consisting of single-or multi-walled carbon nanotubes, nanobuds, spherical fullerene, graphene, or carbon nano-yarn.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) are interspersed homogenously throughout the additive manufacturing powder.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) are interspersed throughout the additive manufacturing powder at different concentration levels.
16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the carbon nanostructures ( 14 a, 14 b ) are interspersed throughout the additive manufacturing powder at different concentration levels and comprise more than one type and/or size of carbon nanostructure selected from the group consisting of single-or multi-walled carbon nanotubes, nanobuds, spherical fullerene, graphene, or carbon nano-yarn.
17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the additive manufacturing powder is formed from composite particles ( 10 a, 10 b ) formed from carbon nanostructures ( 14 a , 14 b ) and the superalloy material ( 12 ).
18 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising additively manufacturing different portions of the gas turbine component using the additive manufacturing powder with a first concentration of carbon nanostructure types and sizes, and a second additive manufacturing powder with a second concentration of carbon nanostructure types and sizes.
19 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising additively manufacturing different portions of the gas turbine component using the additive manufacturing powder with a first concentration of carbon nanostructures types and sizes with a powder bed and a multiplicity of additive manufacturing laser beams ( 19 a, 19 b ).
20 . A method of making a composite particle comprising;
casting a slab comprising superalloy material ( 12 ) and at least one carbon nanostructure ( 14 a ); and
milling the slab to form the composite particle ( 10 a ) comprising the superalloy material ( 12 ) and the at least one carbon nanostructure ( 14 a ), wherein the composite particle ( 10 a ) is for an additive manufacturing process.