Metal Powders for Additive Manufacturing

A metal powder composition with controlled elements and manufacturing parameters addresses manufacturability issues in additive manufacturing, producing low-density steel parts with enhanced mechanical properties for vehicles and defense applications.

JP2025536341APending Publication Date: 2025-11-05ARCELORMITTAL SA
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2025522602
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2022-10-19
Filing Date
2023-10-11
Publication Date
2025-11-05

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing methods for producing low-density steel parts with high mechanical properties face manufacturability challenges, particularly in additive manufacturing, especially with triplex steels containing high levels of manganese, aluminum, and carbon.

Method used

A metal powder composition with specific weight percentages of manganese, aluminum, carbon, titanium, and other elements, produced through gas atomization, is used for additive manufacturing, with controlled parameters like laser power and scanning speed to achieve a microstructure of ferrite and austenite.

Benefits of technology

The method produces low-density steel parts with improved mechanical properties, including enhanced ductility and toughness, suitable for vehicle and defense applications.

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Abstract

The present invention relates to a metal powder for additive manufacturing, which comprises the following elements, expressed as a weight content: 15%≦Mn≦35% 6%≦Al≦15% 0.5%≦C≦1.8% 0.4%≦Ti≦4.5% 0≦Si≦3.5% P≦0.013% S≦0.015% N≦0.100% and optionally one or more elements selected from Ta, Zr, Nb, V, Ti, Mo, and W in a cumulative amount of Ni≦8.5 wt.% and / or Cr≦2.5 wt.% and / or B≦0.1 wt.% and / or up to 2.0 wt.%, the balance being iron and unavoidable impurities resulting from processing. The present invention also deals with methods for producing such powders and for producing printed parts therefrom.
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a metal powder for the production of steel parts, in particular for their additive manufacturing. The present invention also relates to a method for producing the metal powder. The powder according to the invention is particularly well suited for the production of low-density safety or structural parts for vehicles, such as land vehicles. It can also be used to produce parts, in particular for defense, naval or armor applications. [Background technology]

[0002] Environmental regulations are forcing automakers to continually reduce the CO2 emissions of their vehicles, so they are looking at every way to reduce the weight of their vehicles.

[0003] This can be achieved, inter alia, by reducing the density of the steel used to manufacture the parts and by alloying the steel with other metals that are lighter than iron.

[0004] Steels containing high levels of manganese aluminum and carbon, often referred to as triplex steels, can exhibit density levels below 7.4 g / cm. Their solidification structures likely exhibit an austenitic matrix with kappa carbides (Fe,Mn)3AlCx and ferrite.

[0005] However, their high aluminum and carbon content makes them difficult to manufacture using conventional casting methods. Recently, additive manufacturing has been proposed, but the mechanical properties of the parts obtained by such methods are not sufficiently high. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to remedy the drawbacks of the prior art by providing a new method for obtaining low density parts with good mechanical properties without manufacturability problems. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] To this end, a first object of the present invention is to provide a metal powder for additive manufacturing, which comprises, expressed as a content by weight of the following elements: 15%≦Mn≦35% 6%≦Al≦15% 0.5%≦C≦1.8% 0.4%≦Ti≦4.5% 0≦Si≦3.5% P≦0.013% S≦0.015% N≦0.100% and optionally one or more elements selected from Ta, Zr, Nb, V, Mo and W in a cumulative amount of Ni≦8.5 wt.% and / or Cr≦2.5 wt.% and / or B≦0.1 wt.% and / or up to 2.0 wt.%, the balance being iron and unavoidable impurities resulting from processing.

[0008] The metal powder according to the invention may also have any of the following characteristics, considered individually or in combination: The powder particles have a microstructure comprising 3.0-95 wt.% ferrite and up to 5 wt.% Ti(C,N) and optionally up to 1.0 wt.% kappa carbide (Fe,Mn)3AlCx, the balance being austenite. The powder is 7.0 g / cm 3 having a density of less than The average particle size is 1 to 150 μm. The average particle size is 1 to 20 μm. The average particle size is 20 to 63 μm. The average particle size is 60 to 150 μm.

[0009] A second object of the present invention is a method for producing metal powder for additive manufacturing, comprising: a) melting an element and / or metal alloy at a temperature at least 100°C above the liquidus temperature to obtain a molten composition according to claim 1; b) atomizing the molten composition through a nozzle with a diameter of up to 4 mm using a gas pressurized to 10-30 bar; The method comprises:

[0010] A third object of the invention consists of a method for producing printed parts by additive manufacturing, in which a powder according to the invention is printed by laser powder bed fusion.

[0011] The printing method according to the invention may also have any of the following features, considered individually or in combination: The method includes a first step of forming a powder layer having a thickness of less than 100 μm, and a second step of forming a shaped layer by using a focused laser beam to melt at least a portion of the powder layer in an atmosphere consisting essentially of an inert gas. The method is configured with the following parameters: Laser power is limited to a maximum of 500W. The scanning speed is 300 to 2000 mm / s. The linear energy density is 190 to 550 J / m. The hatch spacing is 50 to 150 μm. The volumetric energy density is 100 to 330 J / mm3.

[0012] A fourth object of the invention consists in a printed part obtainable according to the invention, having a microstructure comprising 2.0-95% by weight of ferrite and optionally up to 1.0% by weight of kappa carbides (Fe,Mn)3AlCx and up to 1% by weight of Ti(C,N), the balance being austenite. In a preferred embodiment, the part comprises 2.0-90% by weight of ferrite, preferably 2.0-80% by weight of ferrite, more preferably 2.0-50% by weight of ferrite. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] The invention will be better understood on reading the following description, which is given purely for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be limiting in any way.

[0014] Manganese is present in the composition according to the invention at a content of 15 to 35 wt. %. Manganese is an essential alloying element for such grades, primarily due to the fact that alloying with such large amounts of manganese and carbon stabilizes the austenite in the final component to room temperature, allowing it to withstand large amounts of aluminum without subsequently being destabilized and transformed into excessively large amounts of ferrite or martensite. To allow the alloy to have excellent ductility, the manganese content must be 15 wt. % or more. However, if the manganese content exceeds 35 wt. %, the precipitation of the β-Mn phase reduces the ductility of the alloy. Therefore, the manganese content needs to be controlled to be 15 wt. % or more but not more than 35 wt. In a preferred embodiment, it is 15.5 wt. % or more, or even less than 16.0 wt. The amount is more preferably 25 to 31 wt. %, or even better, 26 to 30 wt. %.

[0015] Aluminum is present in the composition according to the present invention at a content of 6 to 15 wt. The addition of aluminum to high-manganese austenitic steel effectively reduces the density of the alloy. Furthermore, it significantly increases the stacking fault energy (SFE) of the austenite in the final component, which then leads to changes in the strain-hardening behavior of the alloy. Aluminum is also one of the main elements in the nano-sized kappa carbide (Fe,Mn)3AlCx, and therefore, its addition significantly promotes the formation of such carbides. The aluminum concentration in the present alloy should be adjusted to ensure austenite stability and possible precipitation of kappa carbides, on the one hand, and to control the formation of ferrite, on the other hand. Furthermore, aluminum amounts less than 6 wt. % can reduce the density of the final component to 7.0 g / cm. 3 It has been observed that this results in a material density exceeding 1000 MPa. Therefore, the aluminum content needs to be controlled to be greater than or equal to 6% by weight but less than or equal to 15% by weight to avoid the removal of the austenite phase. In a preferred embodiment, the aluminum content is between 6 and 12% by weight, or even better between 6 and 10% by weight.

[0016] The carbon content should be between 0.5 and 1.8 wt.%. Carbon plays an important role in shaping the microstructure of the final component. Its primary role is to stabilize austenite, the predominant phase in the microstructure of the steel component, and to provide strengthening. A carbon content below 0.5 wt.% reduces the proportion of austenite, resulting in a decrease in both the ductility and strength of the alloy. However, because carbon is the main component element of the kappa carbide (Fe,Mn)3AlCx, a carbon content above 1.8 wt.% can promote the coarse precipitation of such carbides at grain boundaries, resulting in a decrease in the ductility of the alloy.

[0017] The carbon content is preferably 0.6 to 1.3% by weight, and more preferably 0.8 to 1.2% by weight in order to obtain sufficient strength.

[0018] Titanium is present in the composition according to the present invention at a content of 0.4 to 4.5 wt.%. It has been observed that the addition of at least 0.4 wt.% titanium improved the mechanical properties of the steel, as demonstrated below. However, additions greater than 4.5 wt.% result in a fully ferritic microstructure without austenite. The presence of austenite is desirable because it contributes to higher ductility, strain hardening, and toughness properties than those achievable with ferritic or martensitic structures. This is because, unlike ferritic steels, various strengthening mechanisms are active in austenitic low-density steels. First, solid solution strengthening plays an important role due to the large amounts of C and Mn soluble in austenite, which have low solubility in ferrite, resulting in detrimental coarse Mn carbides. Furthermore, work-hardening strengthening is an important mechanism for austenitic steels. A preferred range is 0.5 to 4 wt.%, or even better, 0.5 to 3 wt.% or 1.0 to 3.0 wt.%, which allows for a microstructure with austenite as the primary phase of the steel. Another preferred range is 2.5 to 4.5 wt.% for optimal precipitation of nitrogen-rich Ti(C,N).

[0019] Silicon may be present in the composition according to the invention in a content of 0 to 3.5% by weight. In a preferred embodiment, silicon is added in a content of 1.6 to 3.5% by weight. A preferred range is 1.6 to 2.5% by weight, or even better 1.6 to 2.2% by weight. In another embodiment, the silicon content is limited to 0 to 0.5% by weight. A preferred range is 0.05 to 0.5% by weight, 0 to 0.25% by weight, or even better 0.05 to 0.25% by weight.

[0020] Nickel may optionally be present in a content of up to 8.5 wt. %. Nickel can be used as a diffusion barrier against hydrogen. Amounts of nickel greater than 8.5 wt. % are undesirable because they promote the formation of cementite, which impairs the (Fe,Mn)3AlCx carbides. Nickel can also be used as an effective alloying element because it stabilizes austenite and promotes the formation of ordered compounds in ferrite, such as the B2 component, providing additional strengthening. However, for cost reasons, among others, it is desirable to limit nickel additions to a maximum content of 6.0 wt. % or 4 wt. % or less, preferably 0.1-2.0 wt. % or 0.1-1.0 wt. However, if nickel is not added, the composition may contain up to 0.1 wt. % nickel as an impurity.

[0021] Chromium may optionally be present in a content of up to 2.5 wt.% to increase the strength of the steel by solid solution hardening. Chromium also improves the high-temperature corrosion resistance of the steel according to the invention. However, since chromium reduces the stacking fault energy and the stability of austenite, its content should not exceed 2.5 wt.%, preferably 0.1% to 2.0 wt.% or 0.1 to 1.0 wt.%. However, if no chromium is added, the composition may contain up to 0.1 wt.% Cr as an impurity.

[0022] Boron may optionally be present at a content of up to 0.1 wt. %. Boron has very low solid solubility and a strong tendency to segregate to grain boundaries, where it interacts strongly with lattice imperfections. Boron can therefore be used to limit the precipitation of intergranular kappa carbides.

[0023] Tantalum, zirconium, niobium, vanadium, titanium, molybdenum and tungsten are elements that may optionally be used to achieve hardening and strengthening, especially by precipitation of nitrides, carbonitrides or carbides, but if their cumulative amount is more than 2.0 wt.%, preferably more than 1.0 wt.%, or even better more than 0.5 wt.% or 0.3 wt.%, there is a risk that excessive precipitation will cause a decrease in toughness, which must be avoided.

[0024] The remainder consists of iron and unavoidable impurities resulting from processing. Phosphorus, sulfur, and nitrogen are the main impurities. They are not intentionally added. They may be present, in particular, in the ferroalloys and / or pure elements used as raw materials. Nitrogen can also be introduced during atomization. Their content is preferably controlled so as not to adversely change the microstructure and / or increase embrittlement. Therefore, their contents are limited to 0.013%, 0.015%, and 0.1% by weight, respectively. In a preferred embodiment, their contents are limited to 0.005%, 0.015%, and 0.05% by weight, respectively.

[0025] The powder microstructure comprises 3.0-95 wt.% ferrite and up to 5 wt.% Ti(C,N) and optionally up to 1.0 wt.% kappa carbide (Fe,Mn)AlCx, the balance being austenite. In a preferred embodiment, the ferrite content may be 7.0-25 wt.%. In another preferred embodiment, the microstructure comprises at least 0.3 wt.% TiC(N) and less than 0.1 wt.% AlN.

[0026] The inventors have observed that increasing the titanium level changes the nature of the precipitates present in the powder. Above 0.4 wt.%, the powder no longer contains primary aluminum nitride, but only titanium carbonitride. Below 0.4 wt.% titanium, the percentage of primary titanium carbonitride decreases in favor of aluminum nitride.

[0027] The powder can be obtained by first mixing and melting pure elements and / or ferroalloys as raw materials. The powder can also be obtained by using pre-alloy ingots of the required composition.

[0028] Ferroalloys refer to various alloys of iron with high proportions of one or more other elements, such as manganese, silicon, aluminum, niobium, boron, chromium, or molybdenum. The main alloys are FeMn (usually containing 70–80 wt% Mn), FeAl (usually containing 40–60 wt% Al), FeSi (usually containing 15–90 wt% Si), FeNi (usually containing 70–95 wt% Ni), FeB (usually containing 17.5–20 wt% B), FeCr (usually containing 50–70 wt% Cr), FeMo (usually containing 60–75 wt% Mo), FeNb (usually containing 60–70 wt% Nb), FeV (usually containing 35–85 wt% V), and FeW (usually containing 70–80 wt% W).

[0029] The alloying elements may alternatively be added as pure elements (usually having a purity of more than 99% by weight), which may be, inter alia, carbon and iron, aluminum, manganese or pure metals such as nickel, zirconium, titanium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, niobium, vanadium, chromium, etc.

[0030] Those skilled in the art know how to mix different ferroalloys and pure elements to arrive at a target composition.

[0031] Once the composition is obtained by mixing the pure elements and / or ferroalloys in the appropriate proportions, it is heated to a temperature at least 100°C above its liquidus temperature and maintained at this temperature to melt all the ingredients and homogenize the melt. This reduced viscosity of the molten composition, thanks to the heating, helps to obtain powders with high sphericity and a suitable particle size distribution without satellites. However, since surface tension increases with temperature, it is preferable not to heat the composition to a temperature more than 450°C above its liquidus temperature.

[0032] Preferably, the composition is heated to at least 200°C above its liquidus temperature to promote the formation of highly spherical particles. More preferably, the composition is heated to 250°C above its liquidus temperature.

[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, the composition is heated to 1650-1800°C, which represents a good compromise between viscosity reduction and surface tension increase.

[0034] The molten composition is then atomized into fine metal droplets (gas atomization) by forcing the molten metal stream through an orifice, a nozzle, at moderate pressure and colliding it with a jet of gas. The gas is introduced into the metal stream just before it exits the nozzle and serves to create turbulence as the entrained gas expands (due to heating) and exits into a large collection volume, the atomization tower. The latter is filled with gas to promote further turbulence in the molten metal jet. The metal droplets cool as they fall into the atomization tower. Gas atomization is preferred because it produces powder particles with high roundness and a low number of satellites.

[0035] The atomizing gas is preferably argon or nitrogen or a mixture thereof. Both gases increase the melt viscosity more slowly than other gases, such as helium, thereby promoting the formation of smaller particle sizes. They also control the purity of the chemicals, avoiding unwanted impurities and ensuring good powder morphology. Since nitrogen has a molar weight of 14.01 g / mol compared to argon's 39.95 g / mol, finer particles are typically obtained with argon than with nitrogen. Meanwhile, nitrogen's specific heat capacity is 1.04 J / (gK) compared to argon's 0.52. Therefore, nitrogen increases the particle cooling rate.

[0036] The gas pressure is important as it directly affects the particle size distribution. In particular, the higher the pressure, the higher the cooling rate. Preferably, the gas pressure is set between 10 and 30 bar, or even better between 24 and 30 bar, to promote the formation of particles whose size is most compatible with additive manufacturing techniques.

[0037] The nozzle diameter influences the molten metal flow rate and therefore the grain size distribution and the cooling rate. To limit the increase in the average grain size and the decrease in the cooling rate, the nozzle diameter is preferably limited to 4 mm.

[0038] The metal powder obtained by atomization can be used as is or can be sieved to retain particles of a size better suited to the additive manufacturing technique used subsequently. For example, for additive manufacturing by powder bed fusion, the range of 20 to 63 μm (called fraction F2) is preferred, and even better, the range of 20 to 40 μm. For additive manufacturing by laser metal deposition or direct metal deposition, the range of 60 to 150 μm (called F3) is preferred, and even better, the range of 40 to 125 μm. Fraction F1, covering particle sizes below 20 μm or even 10 μm, can be used, for example, for binder jetting.

[0039] Parts made with the metal powder according to the invention can be obtained by additive manufacturing techniques such as powder bed fusion bonding (LPBF), direct metal laser sintering (DMLS), electron beam melting (EBM), selective thermal sintering (SHS), selective laser sintering (SLS), laser metal deposition (LMD), direct metal deposition (DMD), direct metal laser melting (DMLM), direct metal printing (DMP), laser cladding (LC), binder jetting (BJ), cold spray (CS), thermal spraying (TS), high velocity oxygen fuel spraying (HVOF).

[0040] In particular, the present invention utilizes the additive manufacturing (LPBF) process. Thin layers of metal powder are uniformly dispensed using a coating mechanism onto a substrate platform, typically metal, fixed to a moving index table on a vertical axis. This occurs in a chamber containing a tightly controlled atmosphere. As each layer is dispensed, each 2D slice of the part shape is fused together by selectively melting the powder. This is achieved using a high-power laser beam, typically an ytterbium fiber laser. The laser energy is intense enough to allow complete melting (welding) of the particles in the form of tracks or strips. Essentially, once a track is completed, the process is repeated with the next track, separated from the first by a hatch spacing. This process is repeated layer by layer until the part is complete. The overhanging shape is supported by unmelted powder from the previous layer. The main process parameters used in LPBF are typically layer thickness, hatch spacing, scanning speed, and laser power. After the process is complete, the remaining powder is sieved and reused.

[0041] A method for producing an additively manufactured part by LPBF includes a first step of forming a powder layer using a powder according to the present invention. Preferably, the powder layer is less than 100 μm thick. If the powder layer is thicker than 100 μm, the laser may not melt the powder for the entire layer thickness, which may result in porosity in the part. Preferably, the layer thickness is kept between 20 and 60 μm to optimize powder melting.

[0042] In a second step, the focused laser beam forms a shaped layer by melting at least a portion of the powder layer under process conditions detailed below.

[0043] In LPBF, each layer of the printed part is at least partially melted in an atmosphere consisting essentially of an inert gas.

[0044] The laser power is preferably limited to a maximum of 500 W. Preferably, the laser power is set above 80 W to facilitate melting at all layer thicknesses. In a preferred embodiment, the laser power is 175-300 W.

[0045] The scanning speed is preferably 300-2000 mm / s, more preferably 300-700 mm / s. Below 300 mm / s, excessive energy provided by the laser can result in keyhole porosity and / or spatter, which, if not properly retracted outside the powder bed, can accumulate in the powder layer and create voids in the printed part. Above 2000 mm / s, the energy provided by the laser to the powder may not be sufficient to melt the powder at all layer thicknesses.

[0046] The linear energy density (LED) is preferably between 190 and 550 J / m. LED is defined as the ratio of the laser power to the scanning speed, expressed in m / s. Below 190 J / m, the LED may not be sufficient to properly print the part (due to poor melting). Above 400 J / m, the excessive energy provided by the laser can result in keyhole porosity and spatter, which deposits in the powder layer if not properly drawn outside the powder bed. Such deposits form voids in the printed part.

[0047] The hatch spacing is preferably 50 to 150 μm. If it is less than 50 μm, each point of the printed part may be remelted multiple times, which may lead to overheating. If it is more than 120 μm, unmelted powder may be trapped between two tracks. More preferably, the hatch spacing is 70 to 110 μm.

[0048] The volumetric energy density (VED) is preferably 100 to 330 J / mm 3 VED is P / (v·h·l t ) where P is the laser power, v is the scanning speed, h is the hatch spacing, and l t is the powder layer thickness. [Example]

[0049] The following examples and tests presented below are non-limiting in nature and should be considered for illustrative purposes only. They demonstrate advantageous features of the present invention, the importance of parameters selected by the inventors after extensive experimentation, and further establish the properties that can be achieved with metal powders according to the present invention.

[0050] The different metal compositions as listed in Table 1 were first obtained by mixing and melting the ferroalloys and pure elements.

[0051] [Table 1]

[0052] P, S and N were maintained below 0.013 wt%, 0.015 wt% and 0.1 wt%, respectively.

[0053] These metal compositions were heated to 1800° C., ie, 200-350° C. above the liquidus temperature, and then gas atomized with nitrogen under the following process conditions:

[0054] Gas pressure: 20 bar Nozzle diameter: 2.5~3mm

[0055] The powders were then sieved and classified into fractions F1 to F3. Their flowability, sphericity, and roundness were evaluated and found to be satisfactory for additive manufacturing applications. The density of the powders was approximately 6.9 g / cm. 3 It was.

[0056] The microstructure of the F2 fraction was determined by XRD for powders 1, 2 and 3 and is summarized in Table 2.

[0057] [Table 2]

[0058] The F2 fraction of such powder was then used to measure 1 cm by LPBF using the following parameters: 3 A series of 22 cubes was printed.

[0059] Laser output 150~200W, Scanning speed: 300 to 1100 mm / s hatch spacing 70~110μm, Layer thickness 20~40μm, Linear energy density (LED) 180~500J / m Volumetric energy density (VED) 100~330J / mm 3

[0060] The microstructure of the printed cubes was determined by XRD for powders 1, 2 and 3 and is summarized in Table 3.

[0061] [Table 3]

[0062] The microstructure of cubes printed using Powder 3 was observed by scanning electron microscopy and shows the presence of nano-sized titanium carbides which result in grain refinement of the structure.

[0063] Cubes made from powders 1 and 2 contain less than 1% by weight of AlN, while cubes made from powders 3, 5 and 6 contain none.

[0064] The average grain size of the cubes printed using powders 1, 2, and 3 was approximately 30 μm, 30 μm, and 2 μm, respectively, as measured by EBSD maps using the intercept method according to the ASTM E112-10 standard.

[0065] The mechanical properties of the printed cubes corresponding to Powders 1, 2, and 3 were evaluated. YS and UTS were evaluated using standard ASTM E8 / E8M sub-sized rectangular specimens. Hardness was measured according to standard ASTM E92-17. The results of such evaluations are summarized in Table 4.

[0066] [Table 4]

[0067] All mechanical properties of the samples according to the invention show a significant increase over the reference sample due to the addition of a sufficient amount of titanium to the composition.

Claims

1. Metal powders for additive manufacturing, containing the following elements expressed as weight content: 15%≦Mn≦35% 6%≦Al≦15% 0.5%≦C≦1.8% 0.4%≦Ti≦4.5% 0≦Si≦3.5% P≦0.013% S≦0.015% N≦0.100% and optionally, % Ni≦8.5 wt.% and / or Cr≦2.5 wt.% and / or B≦0.1 wt.% and / or one or more elements selected from Ta, Zr, Nb, V, Mo and W in a cumulative amount of up to 2.0 wt.%; The balance is iron and unavoidable impurities resulting from processing. A metal powder having a composition.

2. The powder particles are composed of 3.0 to 95 wt. % ferrite and up to 5 wt. % Ti(C,N) and optionally up to 1.0 wt. % kappa carbide (Fe,Mn). 3 10. The metal powder of claim 1 having a microstructure comprising AlCx, balance austenite.

3. 3. The metal powder of claim 1, wherein the powder contains at least 0.3 wt.% TiC(N) and less than 0.1 wt.% AlN.

4. 4. The metal powder according to claim 1, wherein the titanium content is between 0.5% and 3% by weight.

5. The density of the metal powder is 7.0 g / cm 3 The metal powder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the metal powder is less than 100%.

6. The metal powder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, having an average particle size of 1 to 150 µm.

7. The metal powder according to claim 4, wherein the average particle size is 1 to 20 μm.

8. The metal powder according to claim 4, wherein the average particle size is 20 to 63 μm.

9. The metal powder according to claim 4, wherein the average particle size is 60 to 150 μm.

10. 1. A method of producing metal powder for additive manufacturing, comprising: a) melting an element and / or metal alloy at a temperature at least 100° C. above the liquidus temperature to obtain a molten composition according to claim 1; b) atomizing the molten composition through a nozzle using a gas pressurized to 10-30 bar; A method comprising:

11. 10. A method for producing a printed part by additive manufacturing, wherein a powder according to any one of claims 1 to 9 or obtainable according to claim 10 is printed by laser powder bed fusion.

12. 12. The method of claim 11, comprising: a first step of forming a powder layer having a thickness of less than 100 μm; and a second step of forming a shaped layer by using a focused laser beam to melt at least a portion of the powder layer in an atmosphere consisting essentially of an inert gas.

13. Laser power is limited to a maximum of 500W. The scanning speed is 300 to 2000 mm / s, The linear energy density is 190 to 5500 J / m; The hatch spacing is 50 to 150 μm, Volume energy density: 100 to 330 J / mm 3 That is, 13. The method of any one of claims 11 or 12.

14. 2.0 to 95 wt. % ferrite and optionally up to 1.0 wt. % kappa carbide (Fe, Mn) 3 14. Printed part obtainable by the method according to any one of claims 11 to 13, having a microstructure comprising AlCx and max. 1 wt.% Ti(C,N), balance austenite.

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