Spheroidal titanium metallic powders with custom microstructures
Methodologies, systems, and devices are provided for producing metal spheroidal powder products. By utilizing a microwave plasma, control over spheriodization and resulting microstructure can be tailored to meet desired demands.
1. A method of modifying a particle shape and a microstructure of a titanium based feedstock, the method comprising:
melting at least a surface portion of particles of the titanium based feedstock in a plasma to spheroidize the particles; and
setting and applying cooling processing parameters to create spheroidized particles with a microstructure,
wherein the cooling process parameters comprise one or more of a cooling gas flow rate, a residence time of the titanium based feedstock, and a cooling gas composition, and
wherein the titanium based feedstock has a α-phase crystal structure and the spheroidized particles includes one or more regions of a β-phase crystal structure.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particles of the titanium based feedstock have a particle size of no less than 1.0 micrometers and no more than 300 micrometers.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein setting and applying the cooling processing parameters comprises controlling a cooling gas flow rate.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein setting and applying the selected cooling processing parameters comprises controlling a cooling gas composition.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling processing parameters are selected to create a martensitic microstructure in the spheroidized particles.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling processing parameters are selected to create a Widmanstätten microstructure in the spheroidized particles.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling processing parameters are selected to create an equiaxed microstructure in the spheroidized particles.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cooling processing parameters are selected to create at least two regions in the spheroidized particles, each region having a different microstructure or crystal structure.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the at least two regions include a core portion and a skin portion.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the skin portion has a microstructure that is different from the microstructure of the titanium based feedstock.
11. A method of modifying a particle shape and a microstructure of a titanium based feedstock, the method comprising:
melting at least a surface portion of particles of the titanium based feedstock in a plasma to spheroidize the particles; and
setting and applying cooling processing parameters to create spheroidized particles with a microstructure,
wherein the cooling process parameters comprise one or more of a cooling gas flow rate, a residence time of the titanium based feedstock, and a cooling gas composition, and
wherein the titanium based feedstock has a single phase structure and the spheroidized particles have a multiphase structure.
12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the particles of the titanium based feedstock have a particle size of no less than 1.0 micrometers and no more than 300 micrometers.
13. The method of claim 11 , wherein setting and applying the selected cooling processing parameters comprises controlling a cooling gas flow rate.
14. The method of claim 11 , wherein setting and applying the selected cooling processing parameters comprises controlling a cooling gas composition.
15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cooling processing parameters are selected to create a martensitic microstructure in the spheroidized particles.
16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cooling processing parameters are selected to create a Widmanstätten microstructure in the spheroidized particles.
17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cooling processing parameters are selected to create an equiaxed microstructure in the spheroidized particles.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the cooling processing parameters are selected to create at least two regions in the spheroidized particles, each region having a different microstructure or crystal structure.
19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least two regions include a core portion and a skin portion.
20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the skin portion has a microstructure that is different from the microstructure of the titanium based feedstock.