Collision-resistant alloy

Abstract

Alloy metals and techniques for manufacturing parts from the alloy metals are disclosed. An apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes an alloy. An additive manufacturing alloy according to the present disclosure may include 2.0 wt% to 5.3 wt% of magnesium (Mg), 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt% of manganese (Mn), 0.1 wt% to 1.5 wt% of silicon (Si), 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt% of zirconium (Zr), and aluminum (Al). In some cases, the alloy described in the previous sentence may not include Mg.

Description

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Non - Provisional Application No. 18 / 488,780, filed on October 17, 2023, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 417,938, filed on October 20, 2022, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 425,550, filed on November 15, 2022, all of which are entitled "Crashworthy Alloy", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention generally relates to alloy materials, and more particularly to 3D - printable alloys. Background Art

[0004] The present invention generally relates to alloy materials, and more particularly to 3D - printable alloys.

[0005] Three - dimensional (3D) printing, also known as additive manufacturing (AM), provides new opportunities for more effectively manufacturing structures such as automobiles, airplanes, ships, motorcycles, buses, trains, etc. It has been demonstrated that applying the AM process to industries that produce these products can result in structurally efficient transportation structures. For example, an automobile produced using 3D - printed components can be stronger, lighter, and thus more fuel - efficient. In addition, compared to traditional casting, forging, and machining techniques, AM enables manufacturers to 3D - print parts with more complex and advanced functions and performance. Despite these recent advancements, there are still some obstacles in the practical application of AM technology. For example, many existing alloys can be cast or molded to produce relatively defect - free structures, but when 3D - printed, these alloys exhibit cracks and / or other defects. When components with specific strength and / or ductility are required in certain applications, manufacturers may be forced to use traditional casting, forging, and machining techniques to manufacture the components because 3D - printing components using existing alloys results in components that are too brittle or fragile. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Several aspects and features of 3D - printable metal alloys will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to 3D - printing techniques.

[0007] An additive - manufacturing alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure can include 2.5 wt% to 5.3 wt% of magnesium (Mg), 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt% of manganese (Mn), 0.1 wt% to 1.5 wt% of silicon (Si), 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt% of zirconium (Zr), and aluminum (Al).

[0008] Such an additive manufacturing alloy may further optionally include at least one of hafnium (Hf), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), or yttrium (Y), wherein Hf is from 0.01 to 0.8 wt%, Li is from 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt%, Ti is from 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, and Y is from 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%.

[0009] Such an additive manufacturing alloy may further optionally include at least one of the following: nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), or cobalt (Co), wherein Ni is from 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%, V is from 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, Zn is from 0.01 wt% to 3.0 wt%, Fe is from 0.01 wt% to 2.5 wt%, Cu is from 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, Cr is from 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%, and Co is from 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%.

[0010] The elongation of the printed alloy of such an additive manufacturing alloy can be at least 15%, at least 17%, or at least 18%.

[0011] The ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy of such an additive manufacturing alloy can be at least 400 MPa, at least 425 MPa, at least 440 MPa, or at least 445 MPa.

[0012] An additive manufacturing alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include magnesium (Mg) in the range of 2.0 wt% to 5.3 wt%, manganese (Mn) in the range of 0.7 wt% to 2.9 wt%, silicon (Si) in the range of 0.1 wt% to 0.8 wt%, and zirconium (Zr) in the range of 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%.

[0013] Such an additive manufacturing alloy may further optionally include at least one of hafnium (Hf), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), or yttrium (Y), wherein Hf is from 0.01 to 0.8 wt%, Li is from 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt%, Ti is from 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%, and Y is from 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%.

[0014] Such an additive manufacturing alloy may further optionally include at least one of the following: nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), or cobalt (Co), wherein Ni is from 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%, V is from 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, Zn is from 0.01 wt% to 3.0 wt%, Fe is from 0.01 wt% to 2.5 wt%, Cu is from 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, Cr is from 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%, and Co is from 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%.

[0015] The elongation of the printed alloy of such an additive manufacturing alloy can be at least 15%, at least 17%, or at least 18%.

[0016] The ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy of such an additive manufacturing alloy can be at least 400 MPa, at least 425 MPa, at least 440 MPa, or at least 445 MPa.

[0017] An additive manufacturing alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure can include manganese (Mn) in the range of 0.7 wt% to 2.9 wt%, silicon (Si) in the range of 0.1 wt% to 0.8 wt%, zirconium (Zr) in the range of 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%, and aluminum (Al).

[0018] Such an additive manufacturing alloy can further optionally include at least one of hafnium (Hf), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), or yttrium (Y), where Hf is 0.01 wt% to 0.8 wt%, Li is 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt%, Ti is 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, and Y is 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%.

[0019] Such an additive manufacturing alloy can further optionally include at least one of the following: nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), or cobalt (Co), where Ni is 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%, V is 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, Zn is 0.01 wt% to 3.0 wt%, Fe is 0.01 wt% to 2.5 wt%, Cu is 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, Cr is 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%, and Co is 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%.

[0020] The elongation of the printed alloy of such an additive manufacturing alloy can be at least 15%, at least 17%, or at least 18%.

[0021] The ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy of such an additive manufacturing alloy can be at least 400 MPa, at least 425 MPa, at least 440 MPa, or at least 445 MPa.

[0022] An additive manufacturing alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure can include manganese (Mn) in the range of 0.01 wt% to 2.9 wt%, silicon (Si) in the range of 0.01 wt% to 3.9 wt%, zirconium (Zr) in the range of 0.01 wt% to 2.8 wt%, and aluminum (Al).

[0023] Such an additive manufacturing alloy may further optionally include at least one of hafnium (Hf), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), or yttrium (Y), where Hf is from 0.01 wt% to 0.8 wt%, Li is from 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt%, Ti is from 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, and Y is from 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%.

[0024] Such an additive manufacturing alloy may further optionally include at least one of the following: nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), or cobalt (Co), where Ni is from 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%, V is from 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, Zn is from 0.01 wt% to 3.0 wt%, Fe is from 0.01 wt% to 2.5 wt%, Cu is from 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%, Cr is from 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%, and Co is from 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%.

[0025] It should be understood that other aspects of the printable alloy will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the following detailed description, in which only a few embodiments are shown and described by way of illustration. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the principles of the present disclosure may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Aspects of the present disclosure will now be presented in the detailed description by way of example and not limitation in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0027] Figure 1A-1D Shows various side views of a 3D printer system according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0028] Figure 1E Shows a functional block diagram of a 3D printer system according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0029] Figure 2A-2C Shows an alloy structure according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0030] Figure 3 Shows a unit cell of a structure according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0031] Figure 4 Shows a flow chart of an exemplary method for additive manufacturing a component according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0032] Figure 5 Shows a component according to one aspect of the present disclosure;

[0033] Figure 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a component according to one aspect of the present disclosure; and

[0034] Figure 7 shows a joint feature of a component according to one aspect of the present disclosure. Detailed Description

[0035] The following detailed description, presented in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, is intended to provide a description of exemplary embodiments of 3-D printed alloys and is not intended to represent the only embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. The term "exemplary" as used throughout this disclosure means "serving as an example, instance, or illustration" and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous. For the purpose of providing a thorough and complete disclosure that fully conveys the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art, the detailed description includes specific details. However, the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and components may be shown in block diagram form or omitted entirely in order to avoid obscuring the various concepts presented throughout this disclosure.

[0036] Figure 1A The -D illustrates a corresponding side view of an exemplary 3-D printer system.

[0037] In this example, the 3D printer system is a powder bed fusion (PBF) system 100. Figure 1A The -D shows the PBF system 100 during different operating phases. Figure 1A The specific embodiment shown in the -D is one of many suitable examples of a PBF system that employs the principles of the present disclosure. It should also be noted that the Figure 1A elements of the -D and other figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, but may be drawn larger or smaller for better illustration of the concepts described herein. The PBF system 100 may include a depositor 101 that can deposit each layer of metal powder, an energy beam source 103 that can generate an energy beam, a deflector 105 that can apply the energy beam to fuse the powder material, and a build plate 107 that can support one or more build parts (such as build part 109). Although the terms "fuse" and / or "fusing" are used to describe the mechanical joining of powder particles, other mechanical actions, such as sintering, melting, and / or other electrical, mechanical, electromechanical, electrochemical, and / or chemical joining methods are also considered within the scope of this disclosure.

[0038] The PBF system 100 may also include a build plate 111 positioned within a powder bed container. The walls 112 of the powder bed container generally define the boundaries of the powder bed container, which is sandwiched between the walls 112 on the sides and adjacent to a portion of the build plate 111 below. The build plate 111 can gradually lower the build plate 107 so that the depositor 101 can deposit the next layer. The entire mechanism can be located within a chamber 113, which can enclose other components to protect the device, achieve atmosphere and temperature regulation, and reduce the risk of contamination. The depositor 101 may include a hopper 115 that holds powder 117 (such as metal powder) and a leveling device 119 that can level the top of the powder deposited in each layer.

[0039] Specific reference Figure 1A , which shows the PBF system 100 after the slice of the build part 109 has been fused but before the next layer of powder has been deposited. In fact, Figure 1A shows the time when the PBF system 100 has deposited and fused multiple layers (such as 175 layers) of slices to form a build part 109 formed by, for example, 175 slices. The multiple deposited layers form a powder bed 121, which includes deposited but unfused powder.

[0040] Figure 1B shows the PBF system 100 at a stage where the build plate 111 can lower the powder layer thickness 123. The lowering of the build plate 111 causes the build part 109 and the powder bed 121 to drop by the powder layer thickness 123, such that the top of the build part and the powder bed is lower than the top of the powder bed container walls 112 by an amount equal to the powder layer thickness. For example, this can create a space with a uniform thickness equal to the powder layer thickness 123 above the top of the build part 109 and the powder bed 121.

[0041] Figure 1C shows a stage in which the PBF system 100 is in, where the depositor 101 is positioned to deposit powder 117 into a space formed above the top surfaces of the build part 109 and the powder bed 121 and defined by the powder bed container walls 112. In this example, the depositor 101 gradually moves over the defined space while releasing powder 117 from the hopper 115. The leveling device 119 can level the released powder to form a powder layer 125 with a powder layer top surface 126, whose thickness is substantially equal to the powder layer thickness 123 (see Figure 1B ). Thus, the powder in the PBF system can be supported by a powder material support structure, which can include, for example, the build plate 107, the build plate 111, the build part 109, the walls 112, etc. It should be noted that the thickness of the shown powder layer 125 (i.e., the powder layer thickness 123 ( Figure 1B )) is greater than that used for the above reference Figure 1ADiscuss the actual thickness of the example involving 174 pre-deposited layers.

[0042] Figure 1D Illustrates a stage in which the PBF system 100 is located, where after the deposition of the powder layer 125 ( Figure 1C ), the energy beam source 103 generates an energy beam 127 and the deflector 105 applies the energy beam to fuse the next slice in the build 109. In various exemplary embodiments, the energy beam source 103 can be an electron beam source, in which case the energy beam 127 constitutes an electron beam. The deflector 105 can include deflection plates that can generate an electric or magnetic field that selectively deflects the electron beam to scan the entire area designated to be fused. In multiple embodiments, the energy beam source 103 can be a laser, in which case the energy beam 127 is a laser beam. The deflector 105 can include an optical system that uses reflection and / or refraction to manipulate the laser beam to scan the selected area to be fused.

[0043] In various embodiments, the deflector 105 can include one or more gimbals and actuators that can rotate and / or translate the energy beam source to position the energy beam. In various embodiments, the energy beam source 103 and / or the deflector 105 can regulate the energy beam, such as turning the energy beam on and off when the deflector scans, so that the energy beam is applied only in the appropriate areas of the powder layer. For example, in various embodiments, the energy beam can be regulated by a digital signal processor (DSP).

[0044] Figure 1E Illustrates a functional block diagram of a 3D printer system according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0045] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a control device and / or element including computer software can be coupled to the PBF system 100 to control one or more components within the PBF system 100. Such a device can be a computer 150, which can include one or more components that can assist in controlling the PBF system 100. The computer 150 can communicate with the PBF system 100 and / or other AM systems via one or more interfaces 151. The computer 150 and / or the interface 151 are examples of devices that can be configured to implement the various methods described herein, which can assist in controlling the PBF system 100 and / or other AM systems.

[0046] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the computer 150 can include at least one processor 152, a memory 154, a signal detector 156, a digital signal processor (DSP) 158, and one or more user interfaces 160. The computer 150 can include additional components without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0047] The processor 152 may assist in the control and / or operation of the PBF system 100. The processor 152 may also be referred to as a central processing unit (CPU). A memory 154, which may include read-only memory (ROM) and random access memory (RAM), may provide instructions and / or data to the processor 152. A portion of the memory 154 may also include non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM). The processor 152 generally performs logical and arithmetic operations based on program instructions stored within the memory 154. The instructions in the memory 154 may be executable (e.g., by the processor 152) to implement the methods described herein.

[0048] The processor 152 may include or be implemented as components of a processing system with one or more processors. The one or more processors may be implemented with any combination of a general-purpose microprocessor, a microcontroller, a digital signal processor (DSP), a floating-point gate array (FPGA), a programmable logic device (PLD), a controller, a state machine, gated logic, discrete hardware components, a dedicated hardware finite state machine, or any other suitable entity that can perform computations or other operations on information.

[0049] The processor 152 may also include a machine-readable medium for storing software. Software should be construed broadly as any type of instructions, whether referring to software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description language, or otherwise. The instructions may include code (e.g., in source code format, binary code format, executable code format, RS-274 instructions (G-code), numerical control (NC) programming language, and / or any other suitable code format). When executed by one or more processors, the instructions cause the processing system to perform the various functions described herein.

[0050] The signal detector 156 may be used to detect and quantify any level of signals received by the computer 150 for use by the processor 152 and / or other components of the computer 150. The signal detector 156 may detect signals such as the power of the energy beam source 103, the position of the deflector 105, the height of the component substrate 111, the amount of remaining powder 117 in the depositor 101, the position of the planarizer 119, and other signals. The DSP 158 may be used to process the signals received by the computer 150. The DSP 158 may be configured to generate instructions and / or instruction packets for transmission to the PBF system 100.

[0051] The user interface 160 may include a keyboard, a pointing device, and / or a display. The user interface 160 may include any element or component that conveys information to the user of the computer 150 and / or receives input from the user.

[0052] The various components of computer 150 can be coupled together through interface 151, which can include, for example, a bus system. Interface 151 can include, for example, a data bus, as well as a power bus, a control signal bus, and a status signal bus in addition to the data bus. The components of computer 150 can be coupled together or use some other mechanism to receive input or provide input to each other.

[0053] Although Figure 1E shows many individual components, one or more components can be combined or jointly implemented. For example, processor 152 can be used not only to implement the functions described above with respect to processor 152, but also to implement the functions described above with respect to signal detector 156, DSP 158, and / or user interface 160. In addition, Figure 1E each of the components shown can be implemented using multiple individual elements.

[0054] Alloy composition

[0055] Figure 2A and 2B shows an alloy structure according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 2A Shows alloy structure 200, which includes matrix material atoms and solute 204 atoms. In one aspect of the present disclosure, alloy structure 200 can have the basic structure of the matrix material. For example, it can be of a crystal type or a periodic structure, such as a cubic structure, i.e., the atoms of the matrix material are located at each corner of the cube, a face-centered cubic structure, i.e., the atoms of the matrix material are located at the corners and at least one face of the cube, and so on. For example, as the matrix material, aluminum (Al) metal is arranged in a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure, titanium is arranged in a body-centered cubic (bcc) structure or a hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structure, and so on. As Figure 2A shown, the atoms of matrix material 202 can be arranged in layers, such as matrix material layer 208, which can include one or more atoms of substitutional solute 204.

[0057] In Figure 2A the matrix material structure of alloy structure 200 is shown as a cubic structure. However, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the principles described with respect to alloy structure 200 can be applied to any matrix material structure arrangement. In Figure 2AIn some locations within the alloy structure 200, the matrix material 202 is replaced by the solute 204. When the replacement method is employed, the alloy can be referred to as a "substitutional alloy" because the solute 204 replaces the matrix material 202 within the matrix material structure of the alloy structure 200. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the solute 204 can be one or more different atoms and / or compounds that act as substitutional replacements for the matrix material 202. For example, but not limited to, the matrix material 202 can be iron (Fe), and the solute 204 can be one or more of nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and / or tin (Sn). A substitutional alloy can be formed when the atomic size of the solute 204 is approximately the same as that of the matrix material 202.

[0058] In Figure 2B it, the alloy structure 210 includes a matrix material 212 within a cubic structure, similar to Figure 2A the matrix material structure shown in Figure 2A . Similar to Figure 2B , without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the principles described with respect to the alloy structure 210 can be applied to any matrix material structure arrangement. The alloy structure 210 also includes a solute 214. The solute 214 is included in locations within the alloy structure 210 other than the matrix material 212, i.e., interstitial locations within the matrix material structure of the alloy structure 210. In such an aspect of the present disclosure, such an alloy with an additive added to the matrix material 212 can be referred to as an "interstitial alloy" because the solute 214 becomes part of the structure at interstitial locations within the matrix material structure of the alloy structure 210. In such an aspect, the solute 214 can be one or more different atoms and / or compounds that enter the matrix material structure of the alloy structure 210 as interstitial inserts. For example, but not limited to, the matrix material 212 can be aluminum (Al), and the solute 214 can be one or more of magnesium (Mg), zirconium (Zr), and / or manganese (Mn). An interstitial alloy can be formed when the atomic size of the solute 214 is smaller than that of the matrix material 212. As Figure 2B shown, the atoms of the matrix material 212 can be arranged in layers, such as matrix material layers 218, which can include one or more atoms of the interstitial solute 214 interspersed between the layers.

[0059] Figure 2C shows an example of a combined alloy, whose alloy structure 220 can include a matrix material 222, an interstitial solute 224, and a substitutional solute 226. As Figure 2C shown, the atoms of the matrix material 222 can be arranged in layers, such as matrix material layers 228, which can include one or more atoms of the substitutional solute 226 and have one or more atoms of the interstitial solute 224 interspersed.

[0060] Aspects of the present disclosure can include substitutional alloys, interstitial alloys, and combination alloys that are combinations of substitutional / interstitial solutes in a given alloy. Additionally, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the matrix material (e.g., matrix materials 202, 212, and 222) can include one or more elements. For example, the matrix material can be a combination of two materials such as copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). Although the use of "matrix" in the matrix material can imply that the matrix material is the major portion of the alloy composition, in many aspects of the present disclosure, this may not always be the case. In various embodiments, the matrix material can represent the basic structure of the alloy as different materials have different atomic arrangements such as fcc, bcc, cubic, hcp, etc.

[0061] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a solute can be included in the matrix material to change one or more properties exhibited by the matrix material. For example, but not by way of limitation, carbon (C) can be added to Fe to increase strength and reduce oxidation. In other words, the solute can be added as an impurity to the matrix material to change the characteristics of the interatomic bonds in the matrix material structure.

[0062] In many materials and alloys, there are multiple fundamental properties that determine the suitability of the material / alloy for a given application. For example, but not limited to, strength, heat resistance, and ductility are three properties that may be of interest in certain applications.

[0063] As Figure 2A -C shows, alloy structures that can include a matrix material and a solute can be classified according to their basic atomic arrangement (e.g., fcc, bcc, hcp, etc.). Alloy structures can be fabricated in a variety of ways, but they are mainly formed by mixing the matrix material with the solute (e.g., substitutional and / or interstitial) in various ratios and / or percentages. This can be achieved by melting and / or fusing the various components into a homogeneous liquid and cooling the liquid into a solid form.

[0064] The resulting alloy structure, whether interstitial, substitutional, polycrystalline, amorphous, or various combinations thereof, provides values for the properties of the alloy that are different from those of the base material in its pure form. For example, alloying gold (Au) with silver (Ag) makes the resulting alloy harder, i.e., the resulting alloy of Au and Ag has a higher tensile strength than pure Au. Another reason that the structure of the pure base material may exhibit reduced strength is that the covalent and / or ionic bonds between atoms of the same element are restricted. Since the alloy contains a mixture of atomic sizes and various valence electrons, because some of the atoms in the alloy structure can have slightly different sizes and / or different local electrical properties, the layers in the base material arrangement (e.g., base material layers 208, 218, and 228) are more difficult to move relative to each other because the arrangement of the atoms is no longer uniform, and the local bond strength between adjacent atoms may increase. This increase in alloy strength may be due to small differences in the size of substitutional solutes, including interstitial solutes, and / or other reasons.

[0065] Strengthening mechanisms of metals

[0066] As seen in connection with Figure 2A -C, there can be various ways to increase the strength of the base material. The "strength" of a given material can also be described in various ways. The magnitude of the force required to break a material is commonly referred to as the "tensile strength" or "ultimate tensile strength" of the material, while the magnitude of the force required to permanently bend or deform a material can be referred to as the "yield strength" of the material. Multiple mechanisms may be responsible for increasing the tensile strength and / or yield strength of a given material. Such mechanisms in an alloy can include, for example, changing the "smoothness" between the base material layers in the alloy structure by introducing substitutional solutes, interstitial solutes, or a combination of substitutional and interstitial solutes. The introduction of solutes can create non-uniform regions within the alloy structure and can be referred to as "dislocations" within the alloy.

[0067] Dislocations can introduce different attractive and / or repulsive forces within the alloy structure, called stress fields. This creates local differences in the forces within the alloy structure, called "pinning points", which prevent the movement of one or more base material layers of the structure near the pinning point.

[0068] Relative to a matrix material structure in a pure form, increasing the number of dislocations per unit volume of an alloy structure generally increases the tensile strength and / or yield strength of the alloy. However, above a certain point (which may be different for each matrix material), the increased dislocation density will begin to decrease the tensile strength and / or yield strength of the alloy. If the local differences in attractive and / or repulsive forces become extensive enough, it can reduce and / or eliminate any contribution of the attractive and / or repulsive forces of the matrix material to the determination of the overall strength of the alloy, or it can cause the alloy structure to change form, forming a different basic arrangement of atoms in the alloy structure (e.g., from fcc to bcc, etc.).

[0069] Accordingly, increasing the dislocation density to a certain extent increases the shear force required to move one matrix material layer relative to another matrix material layer. This is because additional shear force will be required to move the dislocations within the layer, as well as the force required to move the matrix material in those matrix material layers. The increase in the shear force required to move the dislocations is manifested as an increase in the tensile strength and / or yield strength in the alloy.

[0070] However, increasing the strength of the matrix material can reduce other properties exhibited by the matrix material when it is in a pure form. For example, but not limited to, increasing the strength can reduce the malleability of the matrix material. It is well known that the stronger a material is, the more difficult it is to bend or dent. The malleability and / or elongation ability of a material is generally referred to as the "ductility" of the material. Changing the strength of a material, i.e., the ability of the material to resist force, generally also changes the "workability" of the material, i.e., the ability to absorb force by deforming the material rather than breaking the material. Although much of the discussion in this article relates to strengthening materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the strength of a given alloy can be improved without significantly affecting the ductility of the alloy.

[0071] Work hardening

[0072] The typical structure of a pure matrix material can be a regular, almost defect-free lattice. To harden a material by "work hardening", dislocations are introduced into the matrix material by forming or otherwise "working" the material. These dislocations can create local fluctuations in the stress field in the material, which slightly rearranges the structure of the matrix material.

[0073] Work hardening of the matrix material can be achieved by applying mechanical and / or thermal stress to the matrix material. For example, a sheet of Cu can be hammered, stretched, or passed through a pair of pressure rollers to reduce the material thickness. These mechanical stresses introduce dislocations into the Cu structure (face-centered cubic). This formation of Cu increases the hardness (strength) and reduces the elasticity (commonly referred to as "ductility"). Similar hardening can be achieved by thermal cycling, such as heating and cooling the material, e.g., "tempering" the material with a furnace and quenching of iron.

[0074] As described above, if the "processing" of the matrix material continues beyond a certain point, the matrix material will contain an excessive concentration of dislocations, which may lead to fractures, such as microfractures and / or visible fractures. Such fractures can be reversible, for example, by subjecting the material to one or more heating and cooling cycles during and / or after the processing of the matrix material. Heating and cooling the material in such a manner can be referred to as "annealing" the matrix material.

[0075] Work hardening can be performed on the matrix material without introducing substitutional and / or interstitial solutes to form an alloy. Work hardening can also be performed on an alloy containing solutes and the matrix material.

[0076] Solid solution strengthening

[0077] In one aspect of the present disclosure, substitutional and / or interstitial solutes can be added to the matrix material, which can result in substitutional and / or interstitial point defects in the alloy structure. The solute atoms can cause lattice distortion in the alloy structure, which hinders dislocation movement. When dislocation movement is hindered, the strength of the material increases. This particular mechanism of strengthening the matrix material can be referred to as "solid solution strengthening".

[0078] In solid solution strengthening, the presence of solute atoms can introduce compressive or tensile stresses into the alloy structure lattice, which can interact with nearby dislocations, causing the solute atoms to act as potential barriers to the relative movement of the structural layers. These interactions can increase the tensile strength and / or yield strength of a given alloy.

[0079] Solid solution strengthening generally depends on the concentration of solute atoms present in the alloy structure. Some physical properties of substitutional and / or interstitial solute atoms that can be considered when determining which specific elements to include in a given alloy can be the shear modulus of the solute atom, the physical size of the solute atom, the number of valence electrons of the solute atom (also known as "valence"), the symmetry of the solute stress field, and other properties.

[0080] Precipitation hardening

[0081] As the molten metal alloy cools, the matrix material atoms can form molecules and / or directly form bonds with solutes (or other impurities) rather than with other matrix material atoms. The molecules / bonds formed between the matrix material and the solutes or impurities will likely produce local properties different from the structure of the pure matrix material and / or the pure solute structure. One of these properties can be the melting point of the molecule, which can be different from the melting point of the pure matrix material and / or the pure solute.

[0082] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the molecules can harden at a higher temperature than the pure matrix material and / or the pure solute, which can create dislocations in the alloy structure. These dislocations can create substructures within the alloy structure, which can be referred to as different "phases" of the alloy structure. Because molecules of different sizes within the alloy structure can make it more difficult for the matrix material layers to move relative to each other within the alloy structure, these molecules can contribute to creating a stronger alloy.

[0083] This change in the molecular property can be referred to as the change in "solubility" with respect to temperature, and when it affects the strength of the resulting alloy, it can be referred to as the "precipitation hardening" mechanism. Because the melting points of the elements contained in the alloy may be different, precipitation hardening (also known as "precipitation strengthening") may depend on temperature.

[0084] Precipitation hardening utilizes these changes in solid solubility with respect to temperature to produce fine particles of an impurity phase or "second phase", such as the molecules described above, which impede the movement of dislocations. These particles that make up the second-phase precipitates act as pinning points in a similar manner.

[0085] The size of the particles can be similar to or consistent with that of the matrix material. If the sizes of the particles and the matrix material are similar enough, the alloy structure can remain relatively uniform, for example, it can remain in the bcc or cubic form. However, in local regions of the alloy structure, bending and / or indentations can exist in the matrix material layers. This mechanism can be referred to as "coherent hardening" of the alloy structure, which is similar to solid-solution hardening.

[0086] When the response of the particles to shear stress is different from that of the matrix material, this difference can change the tension and / or internal stress in the alloy structure. This response to shear stress is called the "shear modulus", and because the particles can withstand different amounts of stress, the total amount of stress that the alloy structure can withstand can increase. This mechanism of precipitation hardening can be referred to as "modulus hardening" of the alloy structure.

[0087] Other types of precipitation hardening can be chemical strengthening and / or order strengthening, which are changes in the surface energy and / or ordered structure of the particles within the alloy structure, respectively. In one aspect of the present disclosure, any one or more of these mechanisms can be present as part of precipitation hardening in the alloy.

[0088] Dispersion strengthening

[0089] Similar to precipitation hardening, changes in molecular properties, the dispersion of different particles, molecules, and / or solutes within the alloy structure, which have different sizes from the matrix material, can create dislocations within the alloy structure. Although these particles may be larger than those used for precipitation hardening, the mechanism for reducing the ability of the matrix material layers to move relative to each other is similar. This mechanism can be referred to as "dispersion strengthening" to distinguish it from precipitation hardening. One type of dispersion strengthening is the introduction of oxides of the matrix material into the alloy structure.

[0090] Grain boundary strengthening

[0091] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a unit cell of the alloy structure, such as a cube of an fcc, bcc, or cubic structure, etc., can be referred to as a "grain" or "microcrystal" in the alloy structure. Solutes can affect the alloy structure by changing the average grain size within the alloy structure. When the grains in the alloy structure have different sizes, the interfaces between adjacent grains (referred to as "grain boundaries") act as dislocations in the alloy structure. Grain boundaries serve as boundaries for dislocation movement, and any dislocations within a grain affect the accumulation or release of stress in adjacent grains.

[0092] This mechanism can be referred to as "grain boundary strengthening" of the matrix material in the alloy. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the grains in the alloy structure can have different crystal orientations, such as bcc, fcc, cubic, etc. These different orientations and sizes create grain boundaries in the alloy structure. When the alloy structure is subjected to an external stress, slip can occur between the matrix material layers. However, the grain boundaries act as an obstacle to the slip between the matrix material layers because the matrix material layers do not have a uniform, flat surface on which slip can occur.

[0093] Phase transformation strengthening

[0094] As described above regarding precipitation hardening, depending on the cooling rate, cooling temperature, and / or other factors, the matrix material can cool into different "phases". For example, titanium (Ti) can form two different types of grains, called α-titanium and β-titanium. When molten titanium metal crystallizes at a low temperature, α-titanium is formed and an hcp lattice structure is formed. When molten titanium crystallizes at a higher temperature, β-titanium is formed and a bcc lattice structure is formed. These different structures throughout the alloy structure create a stronger alloy because the smooth interfaces between the matrix material layers are interrupted by changes in the grain sizes and lattice structures of the different phases of the matrix material and / or solutes. This mechanism for strengthening the alloy is called "phase transformation strengthening".

[0095] In one aspect of the present disclosure, phase changes of various matrix materials and / or solutes can occur as a function of heating and / or cooling the resulting alloy during alloy formation (e.g., heating the alloy to a specific temperature, cooling the alloy at a specific rate, heat treating, etc.). In one aspect of the present disclosure, during the 3D printing process of a given alloy, the temperature of the energy beam source 103 (e.g., the amount of energy delivered by the energy beam source 103), the speed at which the energy beam passes through the powder bed 121 (e.g., the speed of the deflector 105), and / or other factors can be selected to provide a desired temperature profile to the powder bed 121. For example, but not by way of limitation, the heating and / or cooling of a given powder 117 can be selected to approximate a heating and / or cooling curve to produce a desired phase of the matrix material and / or solute in the resulting alloy, and different heating and / or cooling of different powders 117 can be selected to produce different temperature profiles to produce a desired phase in the resulting alloy of the powders 117. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the temperature profile delivered by the PBF system 100 can also be responsible for any post-print heat treatment, such that the combined print / heat treatment can be performed in a more efficient manner.

[0096] In an iron (Fe) structure, high levels of carbon (C) and manganese (Mn) solutes produce two different grains in the alloy structure; ferrite (bcc lattice structure) and martensite (body-centered tetragonal (bct) lattice structure). These different lattices in the Fe-based alloy structure strengthen Fe into steel because the adjacent ferrite and martensite lattice structures disrupt the planar continuity of the matrix material layer interfaces, and the solutes (C and Mn) further disrupt the matrix material layer planes as interstitial solutes. Depending on how the alloy is heat treated, other lattice structures of Fe can also be formed, such as austenite (having an fcc lattice structure), bainite (having a bct lattice structure with slightly different dimensions than martensite), cementite (orthorhombic Fe3C), and / or other compounds.

[0097] One form of phase change strengthening, such as producing cementite in an Fe-based alloy structure, can also be referred to as "tri-ferrite particle formation" in the alloy structure. Of course, if the matrix material is titanium, such phase change strengthening can be referred to as "tri-titanium particle formation"; if the matrix material is aluminum (Al), such phase change strengthening can be referred to as "tri-aluminide particle formation", etc. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, other forms of particles can also be formed, such as having two interstitial solutes or a matrix material between interstitial and substitutional solutes, which can have a "di-" prefix, such as titanium diboride (where both titanium and boron are used as solutes, etc.). Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, any number of different compounds (described with chemical prefixes, suffixes, and numerical names) can be produced within the alloy, including matrix materials and / or solutes, consisting essentially of and / or consisting of them.

[0098] Alloy composition

[0099] In one aspect of the present disclosure, one or more matrix materials can be used to produce an alloy. For example, but not limited to, aluminum (Al) can be used as the matrix material; however, Al can be mixed with other materials, such as nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), titanium (Ti), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), magnesium (Mg), chromium (Cr), and / or other materials, such as high-entropy alloy (HEA) materials, etc., which can be used as the matrix material alone. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, other single matrix materials can also be used instead of Al.

[0100] In one aspect of the present disclosure, one or more solutes can also be included in the alloy. For example, but not limited to, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, magnesium (Mg), boron (B), hafnium (Hf), erbium (Er), yttrium (Y), gallium (Ga), vanadium (V), zirconium (Zr), manganese (Mn), silver (Ag), silicon (Si), zinc (Zn), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), scandium (Sc), lanthanum (La), germanium (Ge), tin (Sn), antimony (Sb), ruthenium (Ru), titanium (Ti), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), and / or other residual elements or compounds can be included.

[0101] In one aspect of the present disclosure, solutes can be added to the matrix material to change the tensile strength of the matrix material. In one aspect of the present disclosure, solutes can be added to the matrix material to change the tensile strength of the matrix material, but introducing solutes into the matrix material may not have a corresponding effect in reducing the ductility of the matrix material. In one aspect of the present disclosure, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, solutes can be added to the matrix material to change the structure of the matrix material by one or more of work hardening, solid solution strengthening, precipitation hardening, dispersion strengthening, grain boundary strengthening, and / or phase transformation strengthening (e.g., promoting the formation of tri-aluminide particles, tri-ferrite particles, and / or other transformations).

[0102] Aluminum-based alloy

[0103] In one aspect of the present disclosure, Al can be used as the matrix material to form the alloy structure of the alloy. Pure fine-grained aluminum can exhibit an fcc lattice structure, with a tensile strength of about 70 megapascals (MPa) and an elongation of about 10%.

[0104] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the alloy can include aluminum as the matrix material and four solutes, such as magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), silicon (Si), and zirconium (Zr), which can be interstitial solutes, substitutional solutes, or some combination thereof. In such an aspect, the structure of the matrix material (i.e., aluminum) is changed by introducing the Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr solutes.

[0105] In such aspects, a certain mass percentage of Mg can be added as a solute to the Al matrix material together with a certain percentage of other solutes to increase the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be higher than that of Al alone. The resulting alloy can have an increased tensile strength and can also have different elongation properties. For example, but not limited to, the elongation can be reduced to 9%, or 8%, or can be increased to 12%, 14%, 16%, etc. In addition, by changing the percentage of Mg contained in the alloy, the tensile strength of the resulting alloy can be different. For example, but not limited to, increasing the percentage of Mg can increase the tensile strength to above 100 MPa, above 150 MPa, above 200 MPa, above 225 MPa, etc.

[0106] As used herein, the mass percentage of a solute in an alloy is equal to the mass of the solute divided by the mass of the alloy and multiplied by 100, and can be expressed as "wt%".

[0107] The formulations of various aspects of the present disclosure include chemical compositions for 3D printing aluminum alloys. The compositions according to the present disclosure can exhibit high strength, such as an ultimate tensile strength of up to 447 MPa, and / or high ductility, such as an elongation of up to 18.3%. In one aspect of the present disclosure, some 3D printing processes use high energy to melt the alloy (e.g., laser powder bed fusion (LPBF)), and may result in a reduction of solutes such as Mg, Li, and / or Zn due to evaporation. The tables included below include example ranges of components before powder / feedstock (i.e., before printing) and after printing (i.e., after printing using a high-energy process such as LPBF). However, the following formulations are not limited to before and after printing. In addition, the rows in each table can be replaced by the corresponding rows in any other table without limitation.

[0108] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the elemental composition in wt% according to the present disclosure can include the ranges shown in the following table.

[0109] Table 1 Powder / Feedstock Elemental Composition Ranges of Matrix Alloy 1

[0110]

[0111]

[0112] Table 2 Powder / Feedstock Elemental Composition Ranges of Matrix Alloy 2

[0113]

[0114]

[0115] Table 3 Powder / Feedstock Elemental Composition Ranges of Matrix Alloy 3

[0116]

[0117]

[0118] Table 4 Post-printing Element Composition Ranges of Substrate Alloy 4

[0119]

[0120]

[0121] Table 5 Post-printing Element Composition Ranges of Substrate Alloy 5

[0122]

[0123]

[0124] Table 6 Post-printing Element Composition Ranges of Substrate Alloy 6

[0125]

[0126]

[0127] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the elemental composition in wt% according to the present disclosure may include the ranges shown in the following table.

[0128] Table 7 Powder / Feedstock Element Composition Ranges of Substrate Alloy 7

[0129]

[0130]

[0131] Table 8 Powder / Feedstock Element Composition Ranges of Substrate Alloy 8

[0132]

[0133]

[0134] Table 9 Powder / Feedstock Element Composition Ranges of Substrate Alloy 9

[0135]

[0136]

[0137] Table 10 Powder / Feedstock Element Composition Ranges of Substrate Alloy 10

[0138]

[0139]

[0140] Table 11 Post-printing Element Composition Ranges of Matrix Alloy 11

[0141]

[0142]

[0143] Table 12 Post-printing Element Composition Ranges of Matrix Alloy 12

[0144]

[0145]

[0146] Table 13 Post-printing Element Composition Ranges of Matrix Alloy 13

[0147]

[0148]

[0149] Table 14 Post-printing Element Composition Ranges of Matrix Alloy 14

[0150]

[0151]

[0152] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the elemental composition in wt% according to the present disclosure may include the ranges shown in the following table.

[0153] Table 15 Powder / Feedstock Element Composition Ranges of Matrix Alloy 15

[0154]

[0155]

[0156]

[0157] In one aspect of the present disclosure, adding the above-mentioned solutes as well as dispersoids and precipitates can change the alloy structure and thus the tensile strength of Al as the matrix material at least through solid solution strengthening. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, depending on the matrix material and / or other solutes used in the resulting alloy, Mg can also change the strength of the resulting alloy through one or more of work hardening, precipitation hardening, dispersion strengthening, grain boundary strengthening, and / or transformation strengthening. In one aspect of the present disclosure, these solutes can act as substitutional solutes and / or interstitial solutes.

[0158] Magnesium

[0159] In one aspect of the present disclosure, for the resulting alloy, Mg can be added to the alloy in a proportion of 2.0 - 5.0 wt%. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, Mg can be added in other proportions. For example, for the resulting alloy, the proportion is 3.0 - 5.3 wt%, 3.8 - 4.8 wt%, 3.4 - 5.0 wt%, 2.5 - 4.8 wt%, 3.2 - 5.4 wt%, 3.3 - 4.3 wt%, 2.9 - 4.5 wt%, 2.5 - 4.8 wt%, 3.8 - 4.8 wt%, 2.0 - 4.8 wt%, etc., or any range between 2.0 and 5.3 wt%, and / or as disclosed herein or in the tables herein. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, other proportions of Mg can also be used, depending on other solutes contained in the resulting alloy.

[0160] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of Mg can be added as a solute to Al and other solutes as the matrix material to increase the tensile strength of the resulting alloy by changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy to be higher than that of pure Al, while maintaining or increasing the elongation of pure aluminum. In one aspect of the present disclosure, Mg can be added to the alloy in a proportion of 2.0 - 5.0 wt%, and the elongation and tensile strength properties of the resulting alloy can be changed.

[0161] Manganese

[0162] In one aspect of the present disclosure, for the resulting alloy, Mn can be added to the alloy in a proportion of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, Mn can be added in other proportions. For example, for the resulting alloy, the proportion is 0.3–3.5 wt%, 0.7–2.9 wt%, 0.01–4.0 wt%, 0.3–2.0 wt%, 0.3–1.0 wt%, 0.1–4.0 wt%, etc., or any range between 0.01 and 4.0 wt%, as disclosed herein or in the tables herein. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, other proportions of Mn can also be used, depending on other solutes contained in the resulting alloy.

[0163] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of Mn can be added as a solute to Al and other solutes as the matrix material to increase the tensile strength of the resulting alloy by changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy to be higher than that of pure Al, while maintaining or increasing the elongation of pure aluminum. In one aspect of the present disclosure, Mn can be added to the alloy in a proportion of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, and the elongation and tensile strength properties of the resulting alloy can be changed.

[0164] Silicon

[0165] In one aspect of the present disclosure, for the resulting alloy, Si can be added to the alloy in a proportion of 0.1 - 1.5 wt%. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, Si can be added in other proportions. For example, for the resulting alloy, the proportion can be 0.1–0.8 wt%, 0.15–1.1 wt%, 0.15–1.5 wt%, 0.1–1.5 wt%, 0.2–1.0 wt%, etc., or any range between 0.1 and 1.5 wt%, as disclosed herein or in the tables herein. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, other proportions of Si can also be used, depending on other solutes contained in the resulting alloy.

[0166] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of Si can be added as a solute to Al and other solutes as the matrix material to increase the tensile strength of the resulting alloy by changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, making it higher than the tensile strength of Al alone, while maintaining or increasing the elongation of Al alone. In one aspect of the present disclosure, Si can be added to the alloy in a proportion of 0.1 - 1.5 wt%, and the elongation and tensile strength properties of the resulting alloy can be changed.

[0167] Zirconium

[0168] In one aspect of the present disclosure, for the resulting alloy, Zr can be added to the alloy in a proportion of 0.01 - 2.0 wt%. Zr can be added in other proportions. For example, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, for the resulting alloy, the proportion can be 0.01 - 1.0 wt%, 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, 0.5 - 2.0 wt%, 0.5 - 1.5 wt%, 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, etc. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, other proportions of Zr can also be used, depending on other solutes contained in the resulting alloy.

[0169] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of Zr can be added as a solute to Al and other solutes as the matrix material to increase the tensile strength of the resulting alloy by changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, making it higher than the tensile strength of Al alone, while maintaining or increasing the elongation of Al alone. In one aspect of the present disclosure, Zr can be added to the alloy in a proportion of 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, and the elongation and tensile strength properties of the resulting alloy can be changed.

[0170] In one aspect of the present disclosure, an alloy of Al as the matrix material and Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr as solutes may be referred to herein as a "matrix alloy". Such a matrix alloy can serve as a reference mixture for other alloys. Additional solutes may be included in the alloy, and / or the wt% of Mg, Mn, Si, and / or Zr may be varied to incorporate other solutes. Such alloys described herein are within the scope of the present disclosure. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the matrix alloy may be a mixture of Mg, Mn, Si, and / or Zr with other matrix materials (such as cobalt, iron, etc.).

[0171] For example, but not by way of limitation, a matrix alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include Mg in the range of 2.0 - 75.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, and one or more matrix materials, such as aluminum, as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein may be varied as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material may include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material may be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0172] In another example, but not by way of limitation, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, and one or more matrix materials, such as aluminum, as the balance of the alloy. Thus, in various embodiments, the matrix alloy may not include Mg. The weight percentage ranges described herein may be varied as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material may include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material may be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0173] Hafnium

[0174] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of hafnium (Hf) may be added as a solute to the matrix alloy of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr or the matrix alloy of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein. Adding Hf as a solute to the matrix alloy can also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased to higher than that of the matrix alloy and change the elongation properties of the resulting alloy by changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy.

[0175] For example, but not limited to, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include the following matrix alloy solutes: Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or the Mg-free matrix alloy as described above), adding Hf in any range within 0.01 - 0.8 wt%, 0.01 - 0.5 wt% or between 0.01 and 0.8 wt%, and a matrix material (such as aluminum) as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein may be varied as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material may include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material may be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0176] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the Mg-Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy or Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy containing Hf may also contain other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0177] Lithium

[0178] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of lithium (Li) may be added as a solute to the matrix alloy of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr or the matrix alloy of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein. By changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, adding Li as a solute to the matrix alloy may also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased to be higher than that of the matrix alloy, and change the elongation property of the resulting alloy.

[0179] For example, but not limited to, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include the following matrix alloy solutes: Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or the Mg-free matrix alloy as described above), adding Li in any range within 0.01 - 0.5 wt%, 0.01 - 0.2 wt%, 0.01 - 0.1 wt%, 0.01 - 0.25 wt% or between 0.01 and 0.8 wt%, and a matrix material (such as aluminum) as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein may be varied as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material may include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material may be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0180] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the Mg-Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy or Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy containing Li may also contain other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0181] titanium

[0182] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of titanium (Ti) can be added as a solute to the matrix alloy of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein, or the matrix alloy of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr. Adding Ti as a solute to the matrix alloy can also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased above that of the matrix alloy, as well as change the elongation properties of the resulting alloy, by changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy.

[0183] For example, but not limitation, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include the following matrix alloy solutes:

[0184] Mg in the range of 2.0-5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01-4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01-1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01-2.0 wt% (or a base alloy without Mg as described above), Ti added in the range of 0.01-2.0 wt%, 0.01-1.6 wt%, 0.01-0.2 wt%, 0.01-1.5 wt%, or any range between 0.01 and 1.0 wt%, and the base material (e.g., aluminum) as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein can be changed as needed within the specified ranges. Although the base material can include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the base material can be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0185] The Mg—Mn—Si—Zr matrix alloy or the Mn—Si—Zr matrix alloy containing Ti may also contain other solutes, dispersants and / or precipitates as described herein without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0186] yttrium

[0187] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of yttrium (Y) can be added as a solute to the matrix alloy of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein, or the matrix alloy of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr. Adding Y as a solute to the matrix alloy can also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased above that of the matrix alloy, as well as change the elongation properties of the resulting alloy, by changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy.

[0188] For example, but not limitation, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include the following matrix alloy solutes:

[0189] Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or the matrix alloy without Mg as described above), adding Y in the range of 0.01 - 1.0 wt%, 0.01 - 0.5 wt%, 0.01 - 0.2 wt%, 0.01 - 0.1 wt%, 0.01 - 0.25 wt% or any range between 0.01 and 1.5 wt%, and the matrix material (such as aluminum) as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein can be changed as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material can include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material can be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0190] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the Mg - Mn - Si - Zr matrix alloy or Mn - Si - Zr matrix alloy containing Y can also contain other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0191] Nickel

[0192] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of nickel (Ni) can be added as a solute to the matrix alloys of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr or Al, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein. By changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, adding Ni as a solute to the matrix alloy can also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased to be higher than that of the matrix alloy, and change the elongation property of the resulting alloy.

[0193] For example, but not limited to, alloys according to one aspect of the present disclosure can include the following matrix alloy solutes:

[0194] Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or the matrix alloy without Mg as described above), adding Ni in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, 0.01 - 1.98 wt%, 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, 0.01 - 0.1 wt%, 0.01 - 3.0 wt% or any range between 0.01 and 4.5 wt%, and the matrix material (such as aluminum) as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein can be changed as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material can include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material can be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0195] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the Mg-Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy or Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy containing Ni may further contain other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0196] Vanadium

[0197] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of vanadium (V) can be added as a solute to the matrix alloy of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr or the matrix alloy of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein. By changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, adding V as a solute to the matrix alloy can also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased to higher than that of the matrix alloy and change the elongation property of the resulting alloy.

[0198] For example, but not limited to, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include the following matrix alloy solutes:

[0199] Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or the matrix alloy without Mg as described above), adding Ni in any range between 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, 0.01 - 1.9 wt%, 0.01 - 1.83 wt%, 0.01 - 1.9 wt%, 0.01 - 1.25 wt% or 0.01 to 2.5 wt%, and the matrix material (such as aluminum) as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein can be changed as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material may include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material may be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0200] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the Mg-Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy or Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy containing V may further contain other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0201] Zinc

[0202] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of zinc (Zn) can be added as a solute to the matrix alloy of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr or the matrix alloy of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein. By changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, adding Zn as a solute to the matrix alloy can also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased to higher than that of the matrix alloy and change the elongation property of the resulting alloy.

[0203] For example, but not limited to, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may include the following matrix alloy solutes:

[0204] Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or a matrix alloy without Mg as described above), adding Ni in the range of 0.01 - 3.0 wt%, 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, 0.01 - 1.98 wt%, 0.01 - 1.0 wt%, 0.01 - 1.5 wt% or any range between 0.01 and 3.5 wt%, and the matrix material (such as aluminum) as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein can be changed as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material can include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material can be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0205] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, a Mg - Mn - Si - Zr matrix alloy or a Mn - Si - Zr matrix alloy containing Zn can also contain other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0206] Iron

[0207] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of iron (Fe) can be added as a solute to the matrix alloys of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr or the matrix alloys of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein. By changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, adding Fe as a solute to the matrix alloy can also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased to be higher than that of the matrix alloy, and change the elongation property of the resulting alloy.

[0208] For example, but not limited to, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure can include the following matrix alloy solutes:

[0209] Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or a matrix alloy without Mg as described above), adding Ni in the range of 0.01 - 2.5 wt%, 0.01 - 2.1 wt%, 0.01 - 2.06 wt%, 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, 0.01 - 1.5 wt% or any range between 0.01 and 3.0 wt%, and the matrix material (such as aluminum) as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein can be changed as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material can include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material can be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0210] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the Mg-Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy or Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy of Fe may further comprise other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0211] Copper

[0212] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of copper (Cu) may be added as a solute to the matrix alloy of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr or the matrix alloy of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein. By changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, adding Cu as a solute to the matrix alloy may also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased to be higher than that of the matrix alloy and change the elongation properties of the resulting alloy.

[0213] For example, but not limited to, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may comprise the following matrix alloy solutes:

[0214] Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or the matrix alloy without Mg as described above), adding Ni in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, 0.01 - 1.8 wt%, 0.01 - 1.75 wt%, 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, 0.01 - 0.25 wt% or any range between 0.01 and 4.5 wt%, and the matrix material (such as aluminum) as the balance of the alloy. The weight percentage ranges described herein may be changed as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material may include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material may be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0215] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the Mg-Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy or Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy of Cu may further comprise other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0216] Chromium

[0217] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of chromium (Cr) may be added as a solute to the matrix alloy of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr or the matrix alloy of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein. By changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, adding Cr as a solute to the matrix alloy may also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased to be higher than that of the matrix alloy and change the elongation properties of the resulting alloy.

[0218] For example, but not limited to, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure may comprise the following matrix alloy solutes:

[0219] Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or a matrix alloy without Mg as described above), adding Cr in any range within 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, 0.01 - 1.9 wt%, 0.01 - 1.88 wt%, 0.01 - 1.85 wt%, 0.01 - 3.2 wt% or between 0.01 and 4.5 wt%, and the balance of the alloy being the matrix material (such as aluminum). The weight percentage ranges described herein can be changed as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material can include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material can be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0220] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the Mg - Mn - Si - Zr matrix alloy or Mn - Si - Zr matrix alloy of Cr can also contain other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0221] Cobalt

[0222] In one aspect of the present disclosure, a certain mass percentage of cobalt (Co) can be added as a solute to the matrix alloy of Al, Mg, Mn, Si, and Zr or the matrix alloy of Al, Mn, Si, and Zr described herein. By changing the alloy structure of the resulting alloy, adding Co as a solute to the matrix alloy can also allow the tensile strength of the resulting alloy to be increased to be higher than that of the matrix alloy, and change the elongation property of the resulting alloy.

[0223] For example, but not limited to, an alloy according to one aspect of the present disclosure can include the following matrix alloy solutes:

[0224] Mg in the range of 2.0 - 5.3 wt%, Mn in the range of 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, Si in the range of 0.01 - 1.5 wt%, Zr in the range of 0.01 - 2.0 wt% (or a matrix alloy without Mg as described above), adding Co in any range within 0.01 - 4.0 wt%, 0.01 - 2.0 wt%, 0.01 - 1.98 wt%, 0.01 - 2.1 wt%, 0.01 - 1.73 wt% or between 0.01 and 4.5 wt%, and the balance of the alloy being the matrix material (such as aluminum). The weight percentage ranges described herein can be changed as needed within the specified ranges. Although the matrix material can include a combination of materials, in one aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix material can be a single material, such as aluminum, iron, cobalt, etc.

[0225] Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the Mg-Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy or Mn-Si-Zr matrix alloy of Co may further include other solutes, dispersoids, and / or precipitates as described herein.

[0226] The matrix alloys of the present disclosure, with or without the additional optional solutes described herein, may have elongation values higher than those of aluminum alone. For example, but not limited to, the elongation value of the matrix alloy with or without the additional optional solutes described herein may be at least 12%. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the elongation may be at least 13%, at least 14%, at least 15%, at least 16%, at least 17%, at least 18%, at least 19%, or other values between 12% and 19%. In addition, when the alloy is produced from powder in the AM process, the elongation values described herein may be the values after printing.

[0227] The matrix alloys of the present disclosure, with or without the additional optional solutes described herein, may have ultimate tensile strengths higher than those of aluminum alone. For example, but not limited to, the ultimate tensile strength of the matrix alloy with or without the additional optional solutes described herein may be at least 350 MPa. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the ultimate tensile strength may be at least 375 MPa, 400 MPa, 425 MPa, 430 MPa, 435 MPa, 440 MPa, or at least 445 MPa, or other values between 350 and 445 MPa. In addition, when the alloy is produced from powder in the AM process, the ultimate tensile strength values described herein may be the printed values.

[0228] Combination with other aluminum alloys

[0229] Figure 3 A unit cell of a structure according to one aspect of the present disclosure is shown.

[0230] The unit cell 300 shows a single cube of the alloy structure, as Figure 3 shown, which is a face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. For ease of understanding, a plane 302 is shown, although the unit cell 300 has six planes that are approximately perpendicular to each other at each intersection. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, other unit cells 300 are possible, such as bcc, cubic, hcp, etc.

[0231] The plane 302 is described by five atomic positions: position 304, position 306, position 308, and position 310, which define the "corners" of the plane 302, and position 312, which defines the "center" of the plane 302 within the unit cell face closest to the observer. In the alloy structure, one unit cell 300 may be adjacent to another unit cell 300, etc., such that a large array of unit cells 300 defines the alloy structure.

[0232] In this example, element 314 is located at each corner of the unit cell 300, including positions 304, 306, 308, and 310 of plane 302. Element 316 is located at the center of each of the six planes, including position 312. That is, as Figure 3 shown, positions 304 - 310 are occupied by element 314 and position 312 is occupied by element 316. Depending on the composition of the resulting alloy, element 314 can be the same material / element as element 316 or can be a different material / element. In an alloy structure of unit cell 300 with a pure material (e.g., aluminum), each of positions 304 - 310 and position 312 will be occupied by aluminum. If a substitutional solute is introduced as an alloying material for pure aluminum, one or more of positions 304 - 312 can be occupied by the alloying material (e.g., vanadium, chromium, etc.). If an interstitial solute is added as an alloying material for pure aluminum, such a solute can be located, for example, at position 318. Position 318 is between position 306 and position 304 and, in one aspect of the present disclosure, is within plane 302. Other positions for interstitial solutes are possible without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0233] Aluminum having an fcc unit cell as Figure 3 shown is alloyed with various solutes. Some aluminum alloys have been standardized and named according to the solutes contained in the named alloy. For example, but not limited to, the International Alloy Designation System (IADS) is a widely accepted aluminum alloy naming scheme in which each alloy is represented by four digits. The first digit of the number represents the primary solute element contained in the alloy. The second digit represents any variants of that solute alloy, and the third and fourth digits represent a specific alloy within the series.

[0234] For aluminum alloys named (i.e., numbered) in the IADS, the 1000 series alloys are essentially pure aluminum content (weight %), and the other numbers represent various applications of such alloys. The 2000 series aluminum alloys are alloyed with Cu, the 3000 series aluminum alloys are alloyed with Mn, the 4000 series aluminum alloys are alloyed with silicon (Si), the 5000 series aluminum alloys are alloyed with Mg, the 6000 series aluminum alloys are alloyed with Mg and Si, the 7000 series aluminum alloys are alloyed with Zn, and the 8000 series aluminum alloys are alloyed with other elements or combinations of elements not covered by other series names. For example, but not limited to, a common aluminum alloy is called "6061" which, according to the IADS naming scheme, has Mg and Si as its primary alloying solutes. However, 6061 has various percentages of other alloying solutes such as iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), zinc (Zn), titanium (Ti), and manganese (Mn), and allows for other solutes present in less than a specific percentage which can be referred to as "impurities". Depending on the application, manufacturer, alloy tolerances, and / or other reasons, the solutes present in 6061 can have a certain wt% range.

[0235] However, when the manufacturing process for making such alloys changes from melting, forging, and / or casting to 3D printing, the formation of the alloy structure and / or the unit cells 300 within the alloy structure becomes localized. Since 3D printing applies thermal energy to only a small portion of the entire alloy structure at any given time, the formation of the unit cells 300 occurs on a local scale within the build 109 rather than on an overall scale, such as in a casting. As a result of the local-to-global thermal energy application and local-to-global cooling in the build 109, it has been seen that some of the named common aluminum alloys are difficult to 3D print without introducing microcracks and / or other detrimental structural defects in the build 109.

[0236] In one aspect of the present disclosure, any one or more of the alloys described herein can be combined with known aluminum alloys, such as alloy 2195, alloy 2218, alloy 2519, alloy 6060, alloy 6061, alloy 7010, etc., which can allow for the 3D printing of aluminum alloys that are difficult to 3D print. For example, but not by way of limitation, alloy 6061 (or any other alloy named by IADS) in powder form and an alloy described according to one aspect of the present disclosure can be mixed together and placed into the hopper 115, and the build process described in the present disclosure Figure 1A-1E can be carried out for the combination of the alloys, which can produce a new alloy upon fusion. In such an aspect, hybrid metal composites, hybrid alloys, and / or quasi-alloys can be produced that can have properties similar to those of alloys numbered by IADS.

[0237] In one aspect of the present disclosure, when 3D printing such alloys as described with reference to Figure 1A-1E some of the solutes in the powder 117 used to produce the synthetic alloy can be evaporated and / or otherwise removed from the synthetic alloy without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In this regard, the percentages of the individual solutes and / or the matrix material can be different from the percentages used in the powder 117. In such an aspect, the percentages described herein can refer to the final percentages of the matrix material and / or solutes in the final printed material, and / or can describe the percentages of the matrix material and / or solutes in the powder 117.

[0238] In one aspect of the present disclosure, different percentages of each alloy powder material can be used. For example, one embodiment can include 50% of the matrix alloy of the present disclosure and 50% of alloy 2195, and another embodiment can include 25% of the matrix alloy of the present disclosure, 25% of alloy 6061, 25% of the Ti-V alloy of the present disclosure, and 25% of another alloy, etc.

[0239] For example, but not by way of limitation, in one aspect of the present disclosure, alloy 2195 can be combined with one or more of the alloys described herein. Alloy 2195 is a relatively complex alloy because it contains many solutes. Consistent with the IADS nomenclature, alloy 2195 has copper as the primary alloy solute. However, alloy 2195 can also include, for example, lithium (Li), magnesium (Mg), silver (Ag), zirconium (Zr), iron (Fe), silicon (Si), and zinc (Zn) at a certain wt% or less than a certain wt% of the final alloy material, as well as other residual solutes at less than a certain wt% of the final alloy material, while still retaining the name "alloy 2195". In such a combination of alloy 2195 and one or more of the alloys described herein, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the total percentage of solutes can have a maximum wt% of the total alloy, such as no more than 20%, no more than 10%, no more than 9%, no more than 8%, no more than 7%, etc.

[0240] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the powders, oxides, components, and / or precursors of the elements contained in the matrix alloy (i.e., an alloy having Al as the matrix material, Mg, Zr, and Mn as solutes, and a tensile strength higher than 80 MPa and an elongation of at least 10%) can be mixed with the powder of the matrix material and the solutes of alloy 2195 such that this mixture of powders can be printed using 3D printing techniques, such as those described in Figure 1A-1E the present disclosure. In different mixtures of powder 117, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the percentages of the matrix alloy and alloy 2195 can vary. For example, one mixture of powder 117 can include 50% matrix alloy powder 117 and 50% alloy 2195 powder, another mixture of powder 117 can include 25% matrix alloy powder 117 and 75% alloy 2195 powder, and another mixture of powder 117 can include 10% matrix alloy powder 117 and 90% alloy 2195 powder 117, etc. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, the total percentage of all solutes can have a maximum wt% of the total alloy, such as no more than 40 wt%, no more than 30 wt%, no more than 20 wt%, no more than 10 wt%, no more than 9 wt%, etc.

[0241] In one aspect of the present disclosure, mixing the matrix alloy powder 117 and the alloy 2195 powder 117 into a homogeneous mixture can allow 3D printing, thereby producing an alloy that is a combination of the matrix alloy and alloy 2195. Depending on the percentages of the matrix alloy and alloy 2195 combined in the resulting alloy, the strength and / or ductility of the final material can be similar to that of alloy 2195, and thus, the resulting alloy can allow an alloy similar to alloy 2195 in terms of performance characteristics to be 3D printed.

[0242] In another aspect of the present disclosure, the matrix alloy can be mixed with a variety of alloys named by IADS such that the performance characteristics of the final material can be adapted to a given application. Within the scope of the present disclosure, there are many possibilities of using the matrix alloy of the present disclosure, variants of the matrix alloy of the present disclosure, and alloys named by IADS to mix alloys in powder form to produce the combined powder 117.

[0243] Figure 4 FIG. 400 is a flow chart showing an exemplary method 400 for additive manufacturing a component according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0244] Additive manufacturing can be three-dimensional printing or can be another additive manufacturing process. The object at least partially performing Figure 4 the exemplary functions can include, for example, a computer 150 and one or more components therein, such as Figure 1A the three-dimensional printer shown in -E, and other objects that can be used to form the above materials.

[0245] It should be understood that Figure 4 the steps identified in are exemplary in nature and can take different orders or sequences of steps and additional or alternative steps as contemplated in the present disclosure to achieve similar results.

[0246] At 402, a base metal can be combined with a first amount of magnesium (Mg), a second amount of manganese (Mn), a third amount of silicon (Si), and a fourth amount of zirconium (Zr) to produce a matrix material. The base metal can be aluminum (Al) or other single-element materials, or can be a combination of elements and / or materials. In various embodiments, the first amount of Mg can be zero, i.e., the alloy can be free of Mg but contain Mn, Si, and Zr.

[0247] At 404, a dispersoid and / or precipitate can optionally be added to the matrix material. The dispersoid and precipitate can include Hf, Li, Ti, Y, Ni, V, Zn, Fe, Cu, Cr, and / or Co.

[0248] At 406, an alloy metal component is three-dimensionally printed from the matrix material, wherein the matrix material creates a structure within the alloy metal component.

[0249] Figure 5 FIG shows a component according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0250] Figure 5 FIG. 500 shows a component 500 that at least includes nodes 502 and 504. Nodes 502 and 504 are coupled at one or more joints 506. The joint 506 can include various types of structures, one of which is a tenon 508 as shown in Figure 5 FIG.

[0251] In one aspect of the present disclosure, additive manufacturing allows for the fabrication of complex structures of vehicle structures, such as node 502, node 504, etc. In such an aspect, multi-part nodes are additively manufactured and can then be joined together manually or in an automated assembly unit to form assembly 500. In an alternative embodiment, the alloys described herein can be used for additively manufacturing integrated components, such as heat exchangers.

[0252] In one aspect of the present disclosure, vehicle components, sub-components, etc. can be additively manufactured. These components, sub-components, etc. can be combined with other parts, components, etc. to form larger components, such as a vehicle. As Figure 5 shown, one aspect of the present disclosure can include a rear frame for a vehicle. Such a rear frame assembly 500 can include nodes 502 and 504, which are joined together at one or more joints 506. Such a joint 506 can also include a tenon 508 that is coupled to a groove in an adjacent node. The joint 506 can incorporate one or more structural adhesives to structurally join the joint 506.

[0253] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of an assembly according to one aspect of the present disclosure is shown.

[0254] As Figure 6 shown, the joint 506 can include a tenon 600 from one node (node 502 in this example) and a groove 602 located in another node (node 504 in this example). The tenon 600 and the groove 602 can allow node 502 to be aligned and / or coupled with node 504. Additionally, a given node can have both a tenon 600 and a groove 602 to make the manufacturing process and / or the assembly process of assembly 500 easier and / or more efficient.

[0255] In one aspect of the present disclosure, nodes 502 and 504 can be manufactured using additive manufacturing techniques, using one or more of the alloys described herein. Additive manufacturing of nodes 502 and / or 504 can allow nodes 502 and / or 504 to incorporate one or more features 604 that may be expensive or difficult to manufacture using other manufacturing techniques.

[0256] In one aspect of the present disclosure, feature 604 may provide strength, stiffness, directional compression, and / or expansion of a given node. Feature 604 may be made of an alloy different from the node of which feature 604 is a part, such that the production cost of the entire assembly is lower, the material cost is lower, the production efficiency is higher, etc. Feature 604 may extend inwardly toward the interior of nodes 502 / 504, may be an external feature of nodes 502 / 504, or may be both an internal and external feature of nodes 502 / 504. Additionally, feature 604 may extend through the thickness of a given node 502 / 504 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In some embodiments, feature 604 may additionally be self-supporting, i.e., printed without a support structure during the additive manufacturing process.

[0257] Figure 7 A joint feature of an assembly according to one aspect of the present disclosure is shown.

[0258] As ​ shown, the tenon 600 is coupled to the groove 602 at the joint 506. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the tenon 600 may be made of an alloy different from that of node 502. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the groove 602 may be made of an alloy different from that of node 504. In one aspect of the present disclosure, the tenon 600 may be designed to have a gap between the tenon 600 and the groove 602 when node 502 is coupled to node 504, such that an adhesive or other material may be placed between the tenon 600 and the groove 602. The material used may be a structural adhesive and may have structural properties similar to those of the alloy used to produce nodes 502, node 504, tenon 600, and / or groove 602. The material may also be a curable adhesive, such as an ultraviolet (UV) curable adhesive.

[0259] In one aspect of the present disclosure, feature 604 may be an "egg crate" feature, which may act as a reinforcing member, structural component, or directional strength portion of a given node. For example, but not by way of limitation, feature 604 may be oriented on node 504 such that node 504 will compress in a given direction and / or manner and resist compression in another direction and / or manner. Such a feature 604 may be advantageous in vehicle design such that a given node will compress in a known direction and resist compression in other directions during a vehicle collision to protect the vehicle's occupants. Without departing from the scope of the present disclosure, feature 604 may also provide aerodynamic flow inside and / or outside the node, as well as provide other characteristics for a given node.

[0260] The foregoing description is provided to enable any person of ordinary skill in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these exemplary embodiments presented throughout this disclosure will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the concepts disclosed herein may be applied in other ways in addition to the examples disclosed herein. Accordingly, the claims are not intended to be limited to the exemplary embodiments presented throughout this disclosure, but rather are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims. All structural and functional equivalents of the elements of the exemplary embodiments described throughout this disclosure are known to those of ordinary skill in the art or will later become known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are intended to be covered by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is dedicated to the public, whether or not such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element should be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) or similar laws in the applicable jurisdiction unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is expressly recited using the phrase “step for”.

Claims

1. An additive manufacturing alloy comprising: 2.5 wt% to 5.3 wt% of magnesium (Mg); 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt% of manganese (Mn); 0.1 wt% to 1.5 wt% of silicon (Si); 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt% of zirconium (Zr); and aluminum (Al).

2. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 1, further comprising at least: hafnium (Hf), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), or yttrium (Y).

3. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 2, wherein: Hf is 0.01 wt% to 0.8 wt%; Li is 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt%; Ti is 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%; and Y is 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%.

4. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 1, further comprising at least: nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), or cobalt (Co).

5. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 4, wherein: Ni is 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%; V is 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%; Zn is 0.01 wt% to 3.0 wt%; Fe is 0.01 wt% to 2.5 wt%; Cu is 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%; Cr is 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%; and Co is 0.01 wt% to 4.0 wt%.

6. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 1, wherein the elongation of the printed alloy is at least 15%.

7. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 1, wherein the elongation of the printed alloy is at least 17%.

8. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 1, wherein the elongation of the printed alloy is at least 18%.

9. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 1, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 400 MPa.

10. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 1, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 425 MPa.

11. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 1, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 440 MPa.

12. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 1, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 445 MPa.

13. An additive manufacturing alloy comprising: magnesium (Mg) in the range of 2.0 wt% to 5.3 wt%; manganese (Mn) in the range of 0.7 wt% to 2.9 wt%; silicon (Si) in the range of 0.1 wt% to 0.8 wt%; zirconium (Zr) in the range of 0.01 wt% to 1.0 wt%; and aluminum (Al).

14. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 13, further comprising at least: hafnium (Hf), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), or yttrium (Y).

15. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 14, wherein: Hf is 0.01 wt% to 0.8 wt%; Li is 0.01 wt% to 0.5 wt%; Ti is 0.01 wt% to 2.0 wt%; and Y is from 0.01% to 1.0% by weight.

16. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 13, further comprising at least: nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), or cobalt (Co).

17. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 16, wherein: Ni is from 0.01% to 4.0% by weight; V is from 0.01% to 2.0% by weight; Zn is from 0.01% to 3.0% by weight; Fe is from 0.01% to 2.5% by weight; Cu is from 0.01% to 2.0% by weight; Cr is from 0.01% to 4.0% by weight; and Co is from 0.01% to 4.0% by weight.

18. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 13, wherein the elongation of the printed alloy is at least 15%.

19. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 13, wherein the elongation of the printed alloy is at least 17%.

20. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 13, wherein the elongation of the printed alloy is at least 18%.

21. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 13, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 400 MPa.

22. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 13, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 425 MPa.

23. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 13, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 440 MPa.

24. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 13, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 445 MPa.

25. An additive manufacturing alloy comprising: manganese (Mn) in the range of 0.7% to 2.9% by weight; silicon (Si) in the range of 0.1% to 0.8% by weight; zirconium (Zr) in the range of 0.01% to 1.0% by weight; and aluminum (Al).

26. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 25, further comprising at least: hafnium (Hf), lithium (Li), titanium (Ti), or yttrium (Y).

27. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 26, wherein: Hf is from 0.01% to 0.8% by weight; Li is from 0.01% to 0.5% by weight; Ti is from 0.01% to 2.0% by weight; and Y is from 0.01% to 1.0% by weight.

28. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 25, further comprising at least: nickel (Ni), vanadium (V), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), or cobalt (Co).

29. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 28, wherein: Ni is from 0.01% to 4.0% by weight; V is from 0.01% to 2.0% by weight; Zn is from 0.01% to 3.0% by weight; Fe is from 0.01% to 2.5% by weight; Cu is from 0.01% to 2.0% by weight; Cr is from 0.01% to 4.0% by weight; and Co is from 0.01% to 4.0% by weight.

30. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 25, wherein the elongation of the printed alloy is at least 15%.

31. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 25, wherein the elongation of the printed alloy is at least 17%.

32. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 25, wherein the elongation of the printed alloy is at least 18%.

33. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 25, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 400 MPa.

34. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 25, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 425 MPa.

35. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 25, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 440 MPa.

36. The additive manufacturing alloy according to claim 25, wherein the ultimate tensile strength of the printed alloy is at least 445 MPa.

37. An additive manufacturing alloy comprising: Manganese (Mn) in the range of 0.01 wt% to 2.9 wt%; Silicon (Si) in the range of 0.01 wt% to 3.9 wt%; Zirconium (Zr) in the range of 0.01 wt% to 2.8 wt%; and Aluminum (Al).

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