ALLOYS WITH A LOW DENSITY OF PRECIPITATES FOR USE IN APPLICATIONS THAT INCLUDE REMELTING PROCESSES, AND PREPARATION PROCESS THEREOF
A method for producing a metal-based powder that is used in metal additive manufacturing, the method comprising: melting alloy metal precursors at a temperature above a liquidus temperature thereof until all alloy metal precursors are in liquid state, to produce a molten alloy; casting the molten alloy by transferring the molten alloy into a caster; cooling the molten alloy to a temperature of at least below the solidus temperature, at a cooling rate above about 50° C./s, to produce a cast alloy with a low density of precipitates; remelting the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates to produce a melted alloy; and forming the metal-based powder from the remelted alloy.
1 . A method for producing a metal-based powder that is used in metal additive manufacturing, the method comprising:
melting alloy metal precursors at a temperature above a liquidus temperature thereof until all alloy metal precursors are in liquid state, to produce a molten alloy;
casting the molten alloy by transferring the molten alloy into a caster;
cooling the molten alloy to a temperature of at least below the solidus temperature, at a cooling rate above about 50° C./s, to produce a cast alloy with a low density of precipitates;
remelting the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates to produce a melted alloy; and
forming the metal-based powder from the remelted alloy.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the temperature at which is cooled the molten alloy is at least about 70° C. below the solidus temperature or is of about 50% of the solidus temperature to inhibit a growth rate of precipitates; or
the cooling rate is in the range of from about 50° C./s to about 110° C./s, limits included; or
the remelting is performed at a heating rate of less than about 10° C./s or at a heating rate in the range of from about 0.01° C./s to about 10° C./s, limits included; or
the casting of the molten alloy is performed by direct chill casting, book mold casting or twin-roll casting.
3 . (canceled)
4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising a homogenization step of the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates to further decrease a density of the precipitates in the cast alloy.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the homogenization step includes heat treating the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates to a temperature T during a period of time.
6 .- 11 . (canceled)
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the metal-based powder from the remelted alloy is performed by atomization.
13 . A process for producing a cast alloy with a low density of precipitates tailored to additive manufacturing applications, the process comprising:
melting alloy metal precursors at a temperature above a liquidus temperature thereof until all alloy metal precursors are in liquid state, to produce a molten alloy;
casting the molten alloy by transferring the molten alloy into a caster;
cooling the molten alloy to a temperature of at least below the solidus temperature, at a cooling rate above about 50° C./s, to produce the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates.
14 . The process of claim 13 , wherein;
the temperature at which is cooled the molten alloy is at least about 70° C. below the solidus temperature or is of about 50% of the solidus temperature to inhibit a growth rate of precipitates; or
the cooling rate is in the range of from about 50° C./s to about 110° C./s, limits included; or
the casting of the molten alloy is performed by direct chill casting, book mold casting or twin-roll casting; or
the process further comprises a homogenization step of the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates to further decrease a density of the precipitates in the cast alloy, preferably wherein the homogenization step includes heat treating the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates to a temperature T during a period of time.
15 .- 21 . (canceled)
22 . A process for producing a remelted alloy with homogeneously dispersed precipitates tailored to additive manufacturing applications, the process comprising:
melting alloy metal precursors at a temperature above a liquidus temperature thereof until all alloy metal precursors are in liquid state, to produce a molten alloy;
casting the molten alloy by transferring the molten alloy into a caster;
cooling the molten alloy to a temperature of at least the solidus temperature, at a cooling rate above about 50° C./s, to produce a cast alloy with a low density of precipitates; and
remelting the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates to produce a remelted alloy.
23 . The process of claim 22 , wherein:
the temperature at which is cooled the molten alloy is at least about 70° C. below the solidus temperature or is of about 50% of the solidus temperature to inhibit a growth rate of precipitates; or
the cooling rate is in the range of from about 50° C./s to about 110° C./s, limits included; or
the remelting is performed at a heating rate of less than about 10° C./s or at a heating rate in the range of from about 0.01° C./s to about 10° C./s, limits included; or
the casting of the molten alloy is performed by direct chill casting, book mold casting or twin-roll casting; or
the process further comprises a homogenization step of the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates to further decrease a density of the precipitates in the cast alloy, preferably wherein the homogenization step includes heat treating the cast alloy with a low density of precipitates to a temperature T during a period of time.
24 .- 32 . (canceled)
33 . A cast alloy with a low density of precipitates produced by the process as defined in claims 13 to 21 .
34 . The cast alloy of claim 33 , comprising at least one of aluminum (Al) and magnesium (Mg) and optionally further comprising at least one of scandium (Sc) and zirconium (Zr).
35 .- 36 . (canceled)
37 . The cast alloy of claim 33 , being a ternary alloy or a quaternary alloy.
38 .- 39 . (canceled)
40 . The cast alloy of claim 33 , wherein:
the precipitates contained in the cast alloy comprise Al 3 (Sc, Zr) of formula Al 3 (Sc 1-x Zr x ), where x is 0≤x≤1.0; or
an average size of the precipitates is less than about 50 μm, or is less than about 10 μm, or is less than about 5 μm; or
the precipitates are substantially homogeneously dispersed in the cast alloy
41 .- 44 . (canceled)
45 . The cast alloy of 33 , wherein:
a chemical composition of the cast alloy is substantially uniform from one radial position to another radial position, and/or from one axial position to another axial position; or
a chemical composition of the cast alloy is uniform from one batch to another.
46 . (canceled)
47 . A remelted alloy with homogeneously dispersed precipitates produced by the process as defined in claim 22 .
48 . The remelted alloy of claim 47 , comprising at least one of aluminum (Al) and magnesium (Mg) and optionally further comprising at least one of scandium (Sc) and zirconium (Zr).
49 .- 50 . (canceled)
51 . The remelted alloy of claim 47 , being a ternary alloy or a quaternary alloy.
52 .- 53 . (canceled)
54 . The remelted alloy of claim 47 , wherein:
a chemical composition of the remelted alloy is substantially uniform from one radial position to another radial position, and/or from one axial position to another axial position; or
a chemical composition of the remelted alloy is uniform from one batch to another.
55 . (canceled)
56 . Use of the cast alloy as defined in claim 33 in an application that includes a subsequent remelting process.
57 . Use of the remelted alloy as defined in claim 47 as a metal alloy feedstock in the production of a metal-based powder tailored for subsequent metal additive manufacturing.