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Rapid Solidification Process for Metal Powders
It has been found that some materials, when exposed to a rapid cooling process, produce a powder or a material in which the atoms do not have the chance to arrange themselves in a classic crystalline structure like any other solid material. With the help of modern technology, this process is now able to produce metal powders of any shape or size while maintaining their purity. This process is known as the rapid solidification process and is extensively used to manufacture metal powders for a variety of uses.
In the rapid solidification process, liquid metals are subjected to extreme pressures, temperatures and cooling rates, under precisely controlled conditions. An atomizing device is used to atomize the molten metal into tiny droplets, and a rapid quenching medium like air, water or inert gases is used to cool it down rapidly. In this process, the spilled liquid metal is cooled very quickly via a combination of quenching media.
The purpose of this process is to produce a powder which is homogeneous, spherical, non-porous and uniformly distributed with good flow properties. Metal powders produced from this method have several advantages, such as improved purity, homogeneity and free-flowing properties. The powders are also quite uniform in size, which helps reduce the powder mixing time for the manufacture of composite materials. In addition, the powders can be produced in very small sizes and fine sizes, which has greater surface area for enhanced catalytic and thermal activities.
When compared to other powder manufacturing processes like mechanical grinding, rapid solidification offers several advantages. This method requires less energy as the process employs the thermal energy of the atomized metal. The process also requires less handling and contamination, leading to better quality control. This method also eliminates the need for using specialized grinding equipment and has no dust, making it safer and less expensive.
The process has been found to be beneficial for producing metal powders of very small particle size. This makes it suitable for applications that require highest level of purity and uniformity of particles, such as powder-bed metal additive manufacture (MBAM). Thus, versatile metal parts can be produced using metal molds or 3D-printed metallic parts which have particle sizes of around a few microns.
This process has also made metal production faster and more economical. When used for large-scale metal production, it can produce metal powders of the same quality at much lower cost. It also takes less time to complete the process, enabling higher-volume production with lower costs incurred. Moreover, the powders produced are free from contamination, helping to improve the life of the products and hence, reducing wastage. This method is also environment-friendly and produces no waste products.
Rapid solidification has become a major trend in the metal powder industry, as it offers multiple benefits for metal powder production. The method helps improve the quality, purity, plus the speed and cost of metal powder production. The process has revolutionized metal powder manufacturing and will continue to play an important role in the manufacturing industry in the near future.
