High-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder, 3D printing application method and aluminum product

Abstract

The invention discloses high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder, a 3D printing application method and an aluminum product. Relates to the technical field of metal material and additive manufacturing, in particular to a high-strength heat-resistant aluminum alloy material suitable for selective laser melting. The alloy powder is composed of Cu, Sc, Ni, Ce, Si, Mn, Ti, Fe and Al, the content of Cu ranges from 5 wt% to 15 wt%, the content of Sc ranges from 0.3 wt% to 2 wt%, the content of Ni ranges from 0.5 wt% to 5.5 wt%, the content of Ce ranges from 0.5 wt% to 5.5 wt%, and an Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase is generated in situ in the printing process. And through a multi-element synergistic strengthening mechanism, the solidification interval is effectively reduced, cracks are inhibited, and meanwhile fine grain strengthening and precipitation strengthening are achieved. After SLM forming and low-temperature heat treatment, the obtained aluminum product has ultrahigh strength, good plasticity and excellent heat resistance, the tensile strength exceeds 650 MPa, the hardness exceeds 180 HV0.2, the ductility exceeds 7%, and the aluminum product meets the requirements for light high-strength heat-resistant components in the high-end fields such as aerospace and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of aluminum alloy powder technology, specifically relating to a high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder, a 3D printing application method, and aluminum products. Background Technology

[0002] Aluminum alloys, due to their high specific strength, good machinability, strong corrosion resistance, and excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, are widely used in aerospace, automotive, and shipbuilding industries. With the continuous improvement of thrust-to-weight ratios in aero-engines and the increasing speeds of hypersonic vehicles, stringent requirements have been placed on aluminum alloy structural components for "lightweight, high heat resistance, and high strength." However, traditional aluminum alloys are generally used at temperatures below 200℃, and their tensile strength and creep properties are insufficient to meet these requirements. 3D printing technology uses a high-energy-density heat source to heat powder or filament for rapid prototyping of parts. Unlike traditional subtractive manufacturing methods, it involves building parts layer by layer. Laser additive manufacturing allows for the rapid solidification of elements into the aluminum matrix, increasing their solubility and forming a sufficient number of dispersed particles. This ultimately results in a supersaturated solid solution matrix and finely dispersed precipitates, yielding a high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum alloy.

[0003] With the rapid development of industries such as aviation, aerospace, automobiles, and shipbuilding, various structural components are transforming towards lightweight and high-performance designs, which places higher demands on component fabrication. Existing laser additive manufacturing processes involve high-speed melting / solidification processes with instantaneous cooling rates as high as 10⁻⁶ m / s. 6 -10 7 K / s, which can easily cause solidification cracks when the liquid phase cannot fill the solidification gap at the solidification end of the solidification of the Al-Cu alloy formed by laser 3D printing, which in turn can lead to defects such as cracking and warping, resulting in the failure of the laser 3D printed Al-Cu component. Aluminum alloys are one of the commonly used materials for components in the aerospace field. However, due to the aforementioned problems, the application of laser 3D printed aluminum alloys in the aerospace field is severely limited. How to effectively suppress crack initiation during laser 3D printing and form high-strength, heat-resistant Al-Cu alloy components has become one of the key technical challenges that urgently need to be solved in the field of laser 3D printing of complex components. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder, a 3D printing application method, and aluminum products, so as to solve the problem that aluminum alloy products are prone to cracking during laser 3D printing in the prior art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution: A high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder, comprising, by weight percentage: Cu: 5~15wt%, Sc: 0.3~2wt%, Ni: 0.5~5.5wt%, with the remainder being Al; The 3D high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy is used in 3D laser printing. During the printing process, an Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase is generated inside the aluminum product.

[0006] A further improvement of the present invention is that: Preferably, the average particle size of the high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy is 15~65μm.

[0007] Preferably, by mass percentage, it further comprises: Ce: 0.5~5.5%; Si: 0.1~0.2wt%; Mn: 0.3~0.5%; Ti: 0.1-0.4wt%; Fe: 0.1~1%; Preferably, the preparation process of the high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder is as follows: first, the raw materials are mixed according to the set target amount, and then the mixture is successively subjected to vacuum melting and argon atomization operations, and finally dried to obtain alloy powder.

[0008] A method for 3D printing application of high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder, wherein the high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder is suitable for laser selective melting printing process, and the printed workpiece is heat-treated to obtain aluminum products.

[0009] Preferably, during the laser selective melting printing process, the laser power is 100~400W, the scanning speed is 100~7000mm / s, the layer thickness is 0.03mm, and the scanning interval is 0.1mm.

[0010] Preferably, the heat treatment temperature is 100~300℃ and the holding time is 4~24h.

[0011] An aluminum product, obtained by the above-described 3D printing application method, contains an Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase.

[0012] Preferably, the aluminum product further includes Al3Sc phase and AlCeNi phase.

[0013] Preferably, the aluminum product has a tensile strength exceeding 650 MPa and an average hardness exceeding 180 HV. 0.2 The elongation rate exceeds 7%.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention first discloses a high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder. The powder, by mass fraction, comprises: Cu: 5-15 wt%; Sc: 0.3-2 wt%; Ni: 0.5-5.5 wt%; Ce: 0.5-5.5%; Si: 0.1-0.2 wt%; Mn: 0.3-0.5%; Ti: 0.1-0.4 wt%; Fe: 0.1-1 wt%; with the remainder being Al. This composition allows for a eutectic reaction with Ni under the rapid cooling conditions characteristic of 3D printing. This rapid transformation of the alloy from a liquid to a completely solid state shortens the time spent in the brittle temperature range, ensuring solidification before cracks can form. During this process, the reaction produces an Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase, enhancing the alloy's strength and also providing solid solution strengthening. The application of this alloy powder optimizes the composition of traditional Al-Cu alloys, forming solid solution strengthening, Orovan strengthening, and fine grain strengthening, thereby improving the strength of aluminum alloys and solving the problems of easy cracking and poor mechanical properties of printed Al-Cu alloys in 3D printing.

[0015] The second aspect of the present invention discloses a method for applying high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder. This method, by limiting parameters such as laser power in the preparation process, ensures that the preparation method matches the ratio of the alloy powder. This allows the formation of the Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase during laser heating under the rapid cooling conditions unique to 3D printing. Subsequently, after heat treatment, the Al3Sc and AlCeNi phases are formed, and the three phases ultimately work together to strengthen the aluminum product.

[0016] The third aspect of this invention discloses an aluminum product obtained by 3D printing based on the aforementioned high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy. This aluminum product contains an Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase, which enhances the alloy's strength and also provides solid solution strengthening. The Sc element acts as a nucleus during the formation of the Al3Sc phase, refining the molten pool structure. Sc can segregate at the eutectic phase boundary to prevent phase coarsening and improve the alloy's heat resistance. The addition of Ce and Mn elements forms an AlCeNi phase, increasing room temperature strength, while Mn can segregate at the phase interface, improving heat resistance. The final printed part has a fine, dense, crack-free, high-strength, and heat-resistant microstructure. The addition of Sc, Ce, and Mn significantly improves the alloy's creep resistance at 300 degrees Celsius and the eutectic phase's resistance to coarsening, thus significantly enhancing the alloy's heat resistance. Simultaneously, by utilizing the non-equilibrium solidification process of 3D printing, the solid solution limit of alloying elements in the matrix is ​​increased, enhancing the solid solution strengthening effect. This results in increased strength and various mechanical properties of the aluminum alloy, with tensile strength exceeding 650 MPa and average hardness exceeding 180 HV. 0.2 The elongation rate exceeds 7%. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a SEM image of the alloy powder of the 3D printed high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy in Example 1; Figure 2 Metallographic image of the 3D-printed high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy parts in Example 1; Figure 3 The image shows the BSE-SEM image of the microstructure of the 3D-printed high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy in Example 1. Figure 4 The stress-strain curves of the 3D-printed high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloys in Examples 1 and 2 are shown. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings: To enable those skilled in the art to understand the features and effects of the present invention, the terms and expressions used in the specification and claims are explained and defined in general below. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the ordinary meaning understood by those skilled in the art regarding the present invention, and in case of conflict, the definitions in this specification shall prevail.

[0019] In this article, unless otherwise specified, “contains,” “includes,” “containing,” “has,” or similar terms cover the meanings of “composed of” and “mainly composed of,” for example, “A contains a” covers the meanings of “A contains a and others” and “A contains only a.”

[0020] The present invention will be further illustrated below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Furthermore, it should be understood that after reading the teachings of this invention, those skilled in the art can make various alterations or modifications to the invention, and these equivalent forms also fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

[0021] The following examples use instruments and equipment conventional in the art. Experimental methods in the following examples, unless otherwise specified, are generally performed under conventional conditions or as recommended by the manufacturer. All raw materials used in the following examples are conventional commercially available products with specifications conventional in the art. In this specification and the following examples, unless otherwise specified, "%" refers to weight percentage, "parts" refers to parts by weight, and "ratio" refers to weight proportion.

[0022] The first aspect of the present invention discloses a high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder, comprising, by mass percentage: Cu: 5~15wt%, Sc: 0.3~2wt%, Ni: 0.5~5.5wt%, with the remainder being Al; The 3D high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy is used in 3D laser printing. During the printing process, an Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase is generated inside the aluminum product.

[0023] The composition of this invention allows for synergistic effects among its various elements through coupling. The higher Cu content compared to conventional aluminum-copper alloys makes the alloy easier to print and provides a wider parameter range, which is beneficial for the formation of the subsequent eutectic phase. Ni induces the Al7Cu4Ni eutectic reaction, reducing the solidification range and alleviating thermal stress. Cu and Ni jointly contribute to eutectic and precipitation strengthening. Overall, this composition system integrates solid solution strengthening, grain refinement strengthening, Orovan strengthening, and eutectic feeding mechanisms, enabling the material to exhibit both excellent formability and high-performance output under 3D printing conditions.

[0024] In some embodiments of the present invention, Ce: 0.5~5.5%; Si: 0.1~0.2wt%; Mn: 0.3~0.5%; Ti: 0.1~0.4wt%; Fe: 0.1~1% is also added; the Al3Sc phase formed by Sc refines the grains and pins the grain boundaries; Ce, Mn and Ti together strengthen the eutectic phase interface region and improve high-temperature stability; In some embodiments of the present invention, the high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy has an average particle size of 15-65 μm. Particle size higher or lower than this range can affect the density of the printed sample. By limiting the particle size within this range, the powder particles typically exhibit high sphericity, a smooth surface, and a dense interior.

[0025] The preparation process of the high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder described in some embodiments of the present invention is as follows: The mixed raw materials are placed in a 3D printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy powder and vacuum-melted in an induction melting furnace. Argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets, and then the powder is placed in a drying oven for drying. This preparation process, through a series of steps including "raw material mixing → vacuum melting → argon atomization → drying," achieves the controllable preparation of a pre-alloyed powder with uniform composition, dense structure, and good formability. The synergistic effect of each step ensures that the final powder possesses high sphericity, good flowability, and low oxygen content, meeting the basic requirements for metal powders in additive manufacturing processes such as laser selective melting.

[0026] In some embodiments of the present invention, the vacuum melting temperature is 650–800°C, and the furnace pressure is 0.5–0.6 MPa. Setting the melting temperature within this range ensures complete melting of the aluminum matrix and promotes the full dissolution of high-melting-point alloying elements such as copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and scandium (Sc) in the liquid aluminum, forming a pre-alloyed melt with uniform chemical composition. Controlling the furnace pressure at 0.5–0.6 MPa provides a moderately positive pressure environment maintained under inert gas protection, effectively suppressing oxidation reactions and the loss of volatile elements. As an optional embodiment, when induction heating is used for melting, a staged heating strategy can be employed—first preheating the crucible and raw materials to 600°C with lower power, then rapidly increasing to the target temperature range and holding for 10–30 minutes—to improve melting efficiency and compositional consistency. In another variation, electromagnetic stirring can be applied during the melting process to further promote the uniform distribution of alloying elements.

[0027] In some embodiments of the present invention, the argon atomization process is carried out at a pressure of 7–8.5 MPa. The drying process is performed at 120°C for 6 hours. This process, by limiting the pressure, enables efficient breakup and rapid solidification of the molten metal flow, thereby obtaining high-quality spherical powder suitable for laser selective melting additive manufacturing processes.

[0028] This invention also discloses a 3D printing application method for high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder. The high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder is suitable for selective laser melting (SLM) printing. After heat treatment, the printed workpiece is obtained as an aluminum product. During the SLM process, a rapid heating and cooling process occurs between the laser and the material, with an instantaneous cooling rate reaching 10. 6 ~10 7 The K / s ratio promotes the formation of a highly supersaturated solid solution by alloying elements in the aluminum matrix, suppressing macroscopic segregation and the formation of coarse second phases, thereby refining the grains and increasing density. Simultaneously, Cu and Ni atoms diffuse and agglomerate during this process, reducing free energy through compositional fluctuations and forming Cu- and Ni-rich regions. These enriched regions become the heterogeneous nucleation sites for the Al7Cu4Ni phase. In the final solidification stage, the highly supersaturated solid solution undergoes a non-equilibrium eutectic reaction, generating the Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase from the liquid phase.

[0029] In some implementation schemes, during laser selective melting printing, the laser power is 100-400W, the scanning speed is 100-7000mm / s, the layer thickness is 0.03mm, and the scanning spacing is 0.1mm. During this process, due to the eutectic reaction of AlCuNi, the addition of Ni lowers the solidification temperature range, improves the alloy's crack resistance, and results in a wide parameter range for the alloy. The laser power is used to control the energy input density per unit time, which directly affects the depth and width of the molten pool. By controlling the laser power within this range, sufficient melting can be ensured while avoiding excessive heat accumulation, making it suitable for high-strength, heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder systems with different compositions and particle size distributions. The scanning speed is used to adjust the interaction time between the laser beam and the material, thereby affecting the cooling rate and temperature gradient. By synergistically adjusting the laser power and scanning speed, the sample density and the phase spacing of the eutectic phase Al7Cu4Ni can be adjusted.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the scanning speed is 6000~7000 mm / s. The high scanning speed leads to a high cooling rate, which promotes the formation of finer and more uniformly distributed Al7Cu4Ni phases, resulting in high density and high strength of the alloy.

[0031] Layer thickness and spacing affect the density of the sample during printing. For example, a layer thickness of 0.03 mm and a spacing of 0.1 mm can improve density, thereby improving the plasticity of the final alloy.

[0032] In some implementations, the heat treatment temperature is 100–300°C, the heating rate is 30°C / min, the holding time is 4–24 h, followed by air cooling. By controlling the heat treatment temperature, the short-range diffusion capacity of alloying elements such as Cu, Sc, and Ni in the aluminum matrix can be effectively activated, thereby promoting the precipitation of phases such as Al₂Cu and Al₃Sc during heat treatment, resulting in precipitation strengthening. This stabilizes the grain size and suppresses the coarsening of the eutectic phase during heat treatment, thus improving the alloy's strength and heat resistance.

[0033] This invention also discloses an aluminum product obtained through the aforementioned 3D printing application method. The aluminum product contains an Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase, an Al3Sc phase, and an AlCeNi phase. The formation of the Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase effectively improves the material's room temperature strength; the Al3Sc phase, as a key phase for grain refinement and precipitation strengthening, significantly refines the matrix grains and inhibits microstructure coarsening at high temperatures; the AlCeNi phase enhances the bonding strength between the second phase and the aluminum matrix through an interface regulation mechanism, improving creep resistance. These three strengthening phases are spatially dispersed, jointly constructing a multi-level strengthening system.

[0034] Furthermore, Al3Sc is an L12-type ordered face-centered cubic precipitate formed by the reaction of added scandium (Sc) with aluminum. Its typical size is 10–50 nm, and it is dispersed in the α-Al matrix in a spherical or near-spherical shape. Due to its extremely small lattice mismatch with the aluminum matrix, it can effectively pin dislocations and grain boundaries, achieving significant grain refinement and Orovan bypass strengthening effects. In addition, the Al3Sc phase exhibits excellent thermal stability at high temperatures, and it is difficult to coarsen even under long-term service conditions at 300°C, thus ensuring the microstructure stability of the material under high-temperature environments.

[0035] The AlCeNi phase is a ternary intermetallic compound formed by Ce, Ni, and Al. It typically occurs as submicron-sized particles or short rods, preferentially distributed in grain boundaries or subgrain boundary regions. The presence of this phase improves interfacial bonding, inhibits grain boundary slip and void propagation at high temperatures, thereby significantly enhancing the material's creep resistance and endurance strength. Its formation depends on the synergistic addition of Ce and Ni; when the Ce and Ni contents are in the range of 0.5–5.5 wt%, respectively, it promotes the controlled precipitation of this phase.

[0036] The three types of strengthening phases mentioned above complement each other in terms of spatial distribution, precipitation timing, and functional positioning. Specifically, the Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase mainly undertakes room temperature strength support and solidification defect suppression, Al3Sc dominates grain refinement and precipitation strengthening in the mid-temperature range, and AlCeNi focuses on interface strengthening and high-temperature structural stability maintenance.

[0037] Furthermore, the tensile strength of the aluminum product exceeds 650 MPa, and the average hardness exceeds 180 HV. 0.2 The elongation rate exceeds 7%.

[0038] This invention employs a specific composition design combined with laser additive manufacturing and controllable heat treatment processes, resulting in the formation of multi-scale strengthening phases and fine-grained structures within the final product. This solves the problems of insufficient strength and brittle fracture commonly found in traditional Al-Cu alloys in 3D printed components, achieving a tensile strength exceeding 650 MPa and a hardness exceeding 180 HV. 0.2 With an elongation rate exceeding 7%, it exhibits performance superior to conventional cast or forged aluminum alloys, making it particularly suitable for fields with an urgent need for lightweight, high-strength, and heat-resistant materials, such as aircraft engine brackets and spacecraft structural components.

[0039] The following description, in conjunction with specific embodiments, provides further details.

[0040] Secondly, the term "one embodiment" or "embodiment" as used herein refers to a specific feature, structure, or characteristic that may be included in at least one implementation of the present invention. The phrase "in one embodiment" appearing in different places in this specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a single or selective embodiment that is mutually exclusive with other embodiments.

[0041] Example 1: The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 9.8wt%; Sc: 0.8wt%; Ni: 2wt%; Fe: 0.2wt%; Si: 0.2wt%; and the remainder is Al.

[0042] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, followed by argon atomization: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the furnace pressure is 0.6MPa; then, argon is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8.5MPa. The resulting powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 340W; scanning speed: 7000mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm. After heat treatment: temperature 180℃, hold in vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours, the tensile strength of the part can reach 650MPa, the yield strength can reach 458 MPa, and the elongation is 7%.

[0043] See Figure 1 The image shows an SEM image of the alloy powder in this embodiment. It can be seen from the image that the alloy powder has a spherical morphology, and there are small spherical satellite powders on the spherical powder.

[0044] See Figure 2 The image shows the metallographic image of the alloy in its printed state. It can be seen that there are almost no large pores, only some small pores, indicating that the alloy has excellent density. This high density will hardly affect the testing of the alloy's mechanical properties.

[0045] See Figure 3 The image shows the BSE-SEM image of the alloy, which reveals its microstructure. The image shows that the alloy's microstructure is mainly composed of a bright white Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase and intercalary α-Al.

[0046] Example 2: The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 9.8wt%; Sc: 0.3wt%; Ni: 2.1wt%; Fe: 0.1wt%; Si: 0.1wt%; with the remainder being Al.

[0047] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 300W; scanning speed: 2500mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0048] Heat treatment: 180℃, held in a vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours.

[0049] See Figure 4 The figures show the stress-strain curves for Examples 1 and 2, after the alloys were heat-treated at 180°C and then subjected to room temperature tensile tests. As can be seen from the figures, the tensile strength of the part in Example 1 reaches 650 MPa, the yield strength reaches 458 MPa, and the elongation is 7%. The tensile strength of the part in Example 2 reaches 550 MPa, the yield strength reaches 358 MPa, and the elongation is 8%.

[0050] Example 3: The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 9.8wt%; Sc: 0.8wt%; Ni: 2.1wt%; Fe: 0.1wt%; Si: 0.1wt%; Ce: 4wt%; Mn: 0.4wt%; with the remainder being Al.

[0051] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 150W; scanning speed: 500mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm. After heat treatment: temperature 180℃, hold in vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours, the tensile strength of the parts can reach more than 620MPa, the yield strength can reach more than 418MPa, and the elongation is 5%.

[0052] Example 4: The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 5.3wt%; Sc: 0.46wt%; Ni: 1.1wt%; Fe: 0.37wt%; Si: 0.1wt%; Ti: 0.3wt%; with the remainder being Al.

[0053] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 130W; scanning speed: 100mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0054] After heat treatment: temperature 180℃, hold in vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours, the tensile strength of the part can reach 400MPa, the yield strength can reach 248 MPa, and the elongation is 13%.

[0055] Example 5: The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 13wt%; Sc: 0.8wt%; Ni: 4.1wt%; Fe: 0.37wt%; Si: 0.1wt%; with the remainder being Al.

[0056] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 400W; scanning speed: 7000mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0057] After heat treatment: temperature 180℃, hold in vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours, the tensile strength of the parts can reach more than 700MPa, the yield strength can reach more than 600MPa, and the elongation is 10%.

[0058] Example 6: The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 14wt%; Sc: 0.8wt%; Ni: 5.1wt%; Fe: 0.3wt%; Si: 0.1wt%; and the remainder is Al.

[0059] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing.

[0060] The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 320W; scanning speed: 5000mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0061] After heat treatment: temperature 180℃, hold in vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours, the tensile strength of the part can reach 850MPa, the yield strength can reach 648 MPa, and the elongation is 10%.

[0062] Example 7: The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 9.8wt%; Sc: 0.8wt%; Ni: 3.1wt%; Fe: 0.3wt%; Si: 0.1wt%; with the remainder being Al.

[0063] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 380W; scanning speed: 5500mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0064] After heat treatment: temperature 180℃, hold in a vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours, the tensile strength of the part can reach 600MPa, the yield strength can reach 420 MPa, and the elongation is 8%.

[0065] Example 8: Based on Example 1, the difference is that the heat treatment temperature is 180℃, the holding time is 24h, the tensile strength of the part is 640MPa, the yield strength is 430MPa, and the elongation is 7%.

[0066] Example 9: Based on Example 1, but differing from Example 1, the laser power is 320W; the scanning speed is 5500mm / s; the scanning spacing is 0.1mm; the scanning layer thickness is 0.03mm; the tensile strength of the part is 620MPa; the yield strength is 410MPa; and the elongation is 8%.

[0067] Example 10: Based on Example 1, but differing from Example 1, the laser power is 270W; the scanning speed is 2500mm / s; the scanning spacing is 0.1mm; the scanning layer thickness is 0.03mm; the tensile strength of the part is 580MPa; the yield strength is 370MPa; and the elongation is 8%.

[0068] Example 11: Based on Example 1, but differing from Example 1, the laser power is 130W; the scanning speed is 100mm / s; the scanning spacing is 0.1mm; the scanning layer thickness is 0.03mm; the tensile strength of the part is 540MPa; the yield strength is 340MPa; and the elongation is 9%.

[0069] Example 12: Based on Example 1, the difference is that the heat treatment temperature is 180°C, the holding time is 12 hours, the tensile strength of the part is 630 MPa, the yield strength is 435 MPa, and the elongation is 7%.

[0070] Example 13 The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 5wt%; Sc: 2wt%; Ni: 0.5wt%; Ce: 0.5wt%; Si: 0.15wt%; Mn: 0.3%; Ti: 0.4wt%; Fe: 1wt%; with the remainder being Al.

[0071] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 700℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.5MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 7 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 100°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 220W; scanning speed: 2000mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0072] Heat treatment: 100℃, held in a vacuum annealing furnace for 4 hours.

[0073] Example 14 The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 15wt%; Sc: 1wt%, Ni: 5.5wt%, Ce: 5.5wt%, Si: 0.2wt%, Mn: 0.5%, Ti: 0.1wt%, Fe: 0.8wt%, with the remainder being Al.

[0074] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 800℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 100°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 100W; scanning speed: 100mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0075] Heat treatment: 300℃, held in a vacuum annealing furnace for 2 hours.

[0076] Compare with Example 1 The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 9.8 wt%; Fe: 0.1 wt%; Si: 0.1 wt%; the remainder is Al.

[0077] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours.

[0078] Printing revealed that the alloy had numerous cracks.

[0079] Compare with Example 2 The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 9.8wt%; Ni: 2.1wt%; Fe: 0.1wt%; Si: 0.1wt%; and the remainder is Al.

[0080] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 340W; scanning speed: 7000mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0081] After heat treatment: temperature 180℃, hold in vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours, the tensile strength of the part can reach 450MPa, the yield strength can reach 230 MPa, and the elongation is 3%.

[0082] Compare with Example 3 The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 5.8wt%; Ni: 1.1wt%; Fe: 0.1wt%; Si: 0.1wt%; and the remainder is Al.

[0083] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 130W; scanning speed: 120mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0084] After heat treatment: temperature 180℃, hold in a vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours, the tensile strength of the part can reach 400MPa, the yield strength can reach 230 MPa, and the elongation is 4%.

[0085] Compare with Example 4 The SLM printing-specific aluminum-copper alloy contains the following components by weight percentage: Cu: 9.8wt%; Ni: 2.1wt%; Fe: 0.1wt%; Si: 0.1wt%; Ti: 0.4wt%; with the remainder being Al.

[0086] The above-mentioned aluminum-copper alloy powder for 3D printing is prepared as follows: the powder is placed in an induction melting furnace for vacuum melting, and then atomized with argon gas: the melting temperature is 650℃, and the gas pressure inside the melting furnace is 0.6MPa; then, argon gas is used as the medium to atomize the molten metal droplets at an atomization pressure of 8 MPa. The prepared powder has a spherical particle shape and can be used for SLM printing. The sieved powder was dried in a vacuum drying oven at 120°C for 6 hours. The fiber laser SLM printing process for aluminum alloy powder was as follows: laser power: 200W; scanning speed: 1700mm / s; scanning spacing: 0.1mm; scanning layer thickness: 0.03mm.

[0087] After heat treatment: temperature 180℃, hold in vacuum annealing furnace for 6 hours, the tensile strength of the part can reach 460MPa, the yield strength can reach 245MPa, and the elongation is 5%.

[0088] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder, characterized by, In mass percentage, it comprises: Cu: 5~15wt%, Sc: 0.3~2wt%, Ni: 0.5~5.5wt%, and the rest is Al; The 3D high-strength heat-resistant aluminum copper alloy is applied to 3D laser printing, and Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase is generated in the aluminum product during the printing process.

2. The high-strength heat-resistant aluminum copper alloy powder according to claim 1, characterized by, The average particle size of the high-strength heat-resistant aluminum copper alloy is 15~65μm.

3. The high-strength heat-resistant aluminum copper alloy powder according to claim 1, characterized by, In mass percentage, it further comprises: Ce: 0.5~5.5%; Si: 0.1~0.2wt%; Mn: 0.3~0.5%; Ti: 0.1~0.4wt%; and Fe: 0.1~1%.

4. The high-strength heat-resistant aluminum copper alloy powder according to claim 1, characterized by, The preparation process of the high-strength heat-resistant aluminum copper alloy powder is as follows: first, the raw materials are mixed according to the set target amount, then the mixed materials are subjected to vacuum melting and argon gas atomization operations in sequence, and finally the alloy powder is obtained after drying.

5. A method for 3D printing application of high-strength heat-resistant aluminum-copper alloy powder, characterized by, The high-strength heat-resistant aluminum copper alloy powder is suitable for laser selective melting printing process, and the workpiece obtained by printing is subjected to heat treatment to obtain an aluminum product.

6. The 3D printing application method of claim 5, wherein, During the laser selective melting printing process, the laser power is 100~400W, the scanning speed is 100~7000mm / s, the layer thickness is 0.03mm, and the scanning interval is 0.1mm.

7. The 3D printing application method of claim 5, wherein, The heat treatment temperature is 100~300℃, and the holding time is 4~24h.

8. An aluminum article characterized in that, The aluminum product contains Al7Cu4Ni eutectic phase, which is obtained by the 3D printing application method of claim 5.

9. The aluminum article of claim 8, wherein, The aluminum product further comprises Al3Sc phase and AlCeNi phase.

10. The aluminum article of claim 8, wherein, The aluminum article has a tensile strength exceeding 650 MPa, an average hardness exceeding 180 HV and an elongation exceeding 7%. 0.2 , an elongation exceeding 7%.

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