METAL POWDER ATOMIZATION MANUFACTURING PROCESSES
There are provided reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing processes. For example, such processes include providing a heated metal source and contact the heated metal source with at least one additive gas while carrying out the atomization process. Such processes provide raw reactive metal powder having improved flowability. The at least one additive gas can be mixed together with an atomization gas to obtain an atomization mixture, and the heated metal source can be contacted with the atomization mixture while carrying out the atomization process. Reactive metal powder spheroidization manufacturing processes are also provided.
1 - 188 . (canceled)
189 . A reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process comprising:
atomizing a heated reactive metal source to produce a raw reactive metal powder, wherein atomizing the heated reactive metal source comprises contacting said heated reactive metal source with an atomization mixture within an atomization zone, the atomization mixture comprising an atomizing gas and an additive gas, the atomizing gas being at a greater temperature than the heated reactive metal source; and
imparting a component from the additive gas on particles of the raw reactive metal powder, the raw reactive metal powder comprising a powder having a particle size distribution of 10 to 53 micrometers with a flowability less than 40 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
190 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the additive gas is air, and the imparted component is oxygen.
191 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the additive gas is O 2 , and the imparted component is oxygen.
192 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , further comprising:
forming the atomization mixture by injecting the additive gas into the atomizing gas.
193 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the atomization mixture comprises 80 ppm or less of the additive gas.
194 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the particles are Ti-6Al-4V particles, and wherein the additive gas is an oxygen-containing gas.
195 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 194 , wherein the raw reactive metal powder contains less than 1800 ppm of oxygen according to AMS 4998.
196 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 214 , wherein the additive gas is air.
197 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 214 , wherein the additive gas is O 2 .
198 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the raw reactive metal powder has a flowability less than 30 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
199 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the raw reactive metal powder comprises a powder having a particle size distribution of 25 to 45 μm having a flowability less than 40 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
200 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the raw reactive metal powder has a flowability less than 28 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
201 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the particles are Ti-6Al-4V particle, wherein the additive gas contains nitrogen, and wherein the raw reactive metal powder contains less than 400 ppm of nitrogen according to AMS 4998.
202 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the particles are Ti-6Al-4V particle, wherein the additive gas contains carbon, and wherein the raw reactive metal powder contains less than 1000 ppm of carbon according to AMS 4998.
203 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the particles are Ti-6Al-4V particle, wherein the additive gas contains hydrogen, and wherein the raw reactive metal powder contains less than 120 ppm of hydrogen according to AMS 4998.
204 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 189 , wherein the particles are Ti-6Al-4V particle, wherein the additive gas contains chlorine, and wherein the raw reactive metal powder contains less than 1000 ppm of chlorine according to AMS 4998.
205 . A reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process comprising:
atomizing a heated reactive metal source to produce a raw reactive metal powder, wherein atomizing the heated reactive metal source comprises contacting said heated reactive metal source with an atomizing gas within an atomization zone, wherein the atomizing gas is provided from a plasma source; and
contacting the raw reactive metal powder with an additive gas within the atomization zone to impart a component of from the additive gas on particles of the raw reactive metal powder, the raw reactive metal powder comprising a powder having a particle size distribution of 10 to 53 micrometers with a flowability less than 40 s, measured according to ASTM B213.
206 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 205 , wherein the particles are Ti-6Al-4V particles, and wherein the additive gas is an oxygen-containing gas.
207 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 205 , further comprising:
forming an atomization mixture by injecting the additive gas into the atomizing gas.
208 . The reactive metal powder atomization manufacturing process of claim 207 , wherein the atomization mixture comprises 80 ppm or less of the additive gas.