Aluminum-cerium-manganese alloy embodiments for metal additive manufacturing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11608546-B2
Application number	US-202016894551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2020
Priority date	Jan 10, 2020
Publication date	Mar 21, 2023
Grant date	Mar 21, 2023

Abstract

Disclosed herein are embodiments of an Al—Ce—Mn alloy for use in additive manufacturing. The disclosed alloy embodiments provide fabricated objects, such as bulk components, comprising a heterogeneous microstructure and having good mechanical properties even when exposed to conditions used during the additive manufacturing process. Methods for making and using alloy embodiments also are disclosed herein.

First claim

We claim:

1. An alloy composition for additive manufacturing, comprising:
4 wt % to 20 wt % cerium;
5 wt % to 15 wt % manganese;
zero to 2 wt % iron;
zero to 2 wt % magnesium;
zero to 2 wt % zirconium; and
a balance of aluminum;
wherein the amount of the cerium and the amount of the manganese are selected to provide an aluminum matrix phase, an Al 20 Mn 2 Ce intermetallic phase, and an Al 10 Mn 2 Ce intermetallic phase upon additively manufacturing the composition,
provided that the alloy composition is not selected from the formulas Al5Mn2Ce, Al6Mn2Ce, Al8Mn4Ce, Al6Mn4Ce, Al10Mn5Ce, or Al12Mn2Ce, wherein amounts of alloying elements in the formulas are in atomic percent.

2. The alloy composition of claim 1 , wherein the cerium is present in an amount ranging from 8 wt % to 20 wt %.

3. The alloy composition of claim 1 , wherein the cerium is present in an amount ranging from 8 wt % to 12 wt %.

4. The alloy composition of claim 1 , wherein the manganese is present in an amount ranging from 5 wt % to 10 wt %.

5. The alloy composition of claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises iron and the iron is present in an amount ranging from greater than zero wt % to less than 1 wt %.

6. The alloy composition of claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises magnesium and/or zirconium and wherein each of the magnesium and/or zirconium is present in an amount ranging from greater than 0 wt % to 2 wt % or less.

7. The alloy composition of claim 1 , wherein the alloy further comprises silicon, nickel, scandium, vanadium, titanium, erbium, or any combination thereof, wherein each of the silicon, nickel, scandium, vanadium, titanium, and erbium are individually present in an amount ranging from greater than 0 wt % to 1% or less.

8. The alloy composition of claim 1 , wherein the alloy comprises 10 wt % cerium, 8 wt % manganese, zero wt % to less than 0.1 wt % iron, zero wt % to less than 0.1 wt % silicon, zero wt % to 0.02 wt % or less magnesium, and a balance of aluminum.

9. A method, comprising:
(a) adding a first amount of a feedstock comprising the alloy composition of claim 1 to a build platform;
(b) exposing the first amount, or a portion thereof, of the feedstock to an energy source to provide a first energy-treated region on the build platform;
(c) adding a second amount of the feedstock to the build platform, wherein the second amount of the feedstock is positioned immediately adjacent to the first energy-treated region on the build platform; and
(d) exposing the second amount, or a portion thereof, of the feedstock to the energy source to provide a second energy-treated region on the build platform.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising repeating any one of (a) through (d).

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein the feedstock is a feedstock powder and the energy source is a laser.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein each of the first energy-treated region and the second energy-treated region comprises a consolidated alloy formed from melting and consolidating particles of the feedstock powder.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method is used to make a fabricated bulk component comprising an Al—Ce—Mn alloy and comprising a heterogeneous microstructure.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the wherein the Al 20 Mn 2 Ce intermetallic phase has a higher nucleation rate than the Al 10 Mn 2 Ce intermetallic at a melt temperature of 700° C.

15. The alloy composition of claim 1 , wherein the Al 20 Mn 2 Ce intermetallic phase has a higher nucleation rate than the Al 10 Mn 2 Ce intermetallic at a melt temperature of 700° C.

16. An alloy composition for additive manufacturing, comprising:
4 wt % to 20 wt % cerium;
5 wt % to 15 wt % manganese;
zero to 2 wt % iron;
zero to 2 wt % magnesium;
zero to 2 wt % zirconium; and
a balance of aluminum;
wherein the amount of the cerium and the amount of the manganese are selected to provide an aluminum matrix phase and an Al 10 Mn 2 Ce intermetallic phase upon additively manufacturing the composition,
provided that the alloy composition is not selected from the formulas Al5Mn2Ce, Al6Mn2Ce, Al8Mn4Ce, Al6Mn4Ce, Al10Mn5Ce, or Al12Mn2Ce, wherein amounts of alloying elements in the formulas are in atomic percent.

Assignees

• Ut Battelle Llc
• Eck Ind Incorporated
• Univ Iowa State Res Found Inc
• L Livermore Nat Security Llc
• Univ Tennessee Res Found

Inventors

• Allard Jr Lawrence
• Bahl Sumit
• Dehoff Ryan
• Henderson Hunter
• Kesler Michael
• Mccall Scott
• Nandwana Peeyush
• Ott Ryan
• Plotkowski Alex
• Rios Orlando
• Shyam Amit
• Sims Zachary
• Sisco Kevin
• Weiss David
• Yang Ying

Classifications

• B33Y10/00

  Processes of additive manufacturing · CPC title

• Y02P10/25

  Process efficiency · CPC title

• B22F10/00

  Additive manufacturing of workpieces or articles from metallic powder (apparatus or devices therefor B22F12/00) · CPC title

• C22C21/00 Primary

  Alloys based on aluminium · CPC title

• B22F10/20

  Direct sintering or melting · CPC title