Novel Composite Powders with Uniform TiB2 Nano-Particle Distribution for 3D Printing

Mengxing Chen; Xiaopeng Li; Gang Ji; Yi Wu; Zhe Chen; Wouter Baekelant; Kim Vanmeensel; Haowei Wang; Jean-Pierre Kruth

doi:10.3390/app7030250

Applied Sciences (Mar 2017)

Novel Composite Powders with Uniform TiB2 Nano-Particle Distribution for 3D Printing

Mengxing Chen,
Xiaopeng Li,
Gang Ji,
Yi Wu,
Zhe Chen,
Wouter Baekelant,
Kim Vanmeensel,
Haowei Wang,
Jean-Pierre Kruth

Affiliations

Mengxing Chen: State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Xiaopeng Li: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3001, Belgium
Gang Ji: Unité Matériaux et Transformations, CNRS UMR 8207, Université Lille 1, Villeneuve d’Ascq 59655, France
Yi Wu: State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Zhe Chen: State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Wouter Baekelant: Department of Chemistry, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
Kim Vanmeensel: Department of Materials Engineering, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3000, Belgium
Haowei Wang: State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Jean-Pierre Kruth: Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leuven (KU Leuven), Leuven 3001, Belgium

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/app7030250
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 7, no. 3
p. 250

Abstract

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It is reported that the ductility and strength of a metal matrix composite could be concurrently improved if the reinforcing particles were of the size of nanometers and distributed uniformly. In this paper, we revealed that gas atomization solidification could effectively disperse TiB2 nanoparticles in the Al alloy matrix due to its fast cooling rate and the coherent orientation relationship between TiB2 particles and α-Al. Besides, nano-TiB2 led to refined equiaxed grain structures. Furthermore, the composite powders with uniformly embedded nano-TiB2 showed improved laser absorptivity. The novel composite powders are well suited for selective laser melting.

Published in Applied Sciences

ISSN: 2076-3417 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology: Engineering (General). Civil engineering (General); Science: Biology (General); Science: Physics; Science: Chemistry
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci

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