Tantalum (Ta) and Niobium (Nb) containing Alloy Powders for Application in Additive Manufacturing

摘要

Additive manufacturing (AM) opens new opportunities for producing parts with complex geometries and designs that cannot be realized by subtractive machining. While 3D printing enlarges the scope of manufacturing possibilities, the intrinsic properties of materials applied can limit the range of accessible applications. In this context Ta and Nb as well as new Ta and Nb-based alloy powders can serve special fields of application e.g. chemical processing, superconductors, energy, or high temperature environments. Moreover, additively manufactured Ta/Nb containing alloys are a promising alternative for optimization of mechanical and biological performance parameters in medical implants. The present paper gives an overview of the development of pure Ta, Nb and Ta/Nb-containing alloy powders that have been specifically designed for application in 3D printing processes. It is shown how spherical powders of this category are produced, optimized and 3D-printed in test geometries as well as for selected application-oriented complex parts. Mechanical parameters of printed specimen obtained from selected pre-alloyed powders are discussed. Studies on the microstructure, chemical composition and phase composition of the respective printed parts are described and examples of applications provided that can derive future benefit of those materials.