Boron-Containing Titanium Composite Powder for 3D Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for preparing titanium-based composite materials for 3D printing result in uncontrollable reinforcement phase sizes, leading to performance inconsistencies and increased production costs due to mechanical mixing and thermal processing complexities.
Innovation Solution
A boron-containing titanium-based composite powder is developed using a supersaturated solid solution-nucleation-precipitation-growth mechanism combined with rapid solidification and gas atomization, allowing for precise control of TiBw reinforcement phase sizes through temperature and energy density adjustments, eliminating the need for mechanical mixing and complex thermal processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If mechanical mixing by ball milling is used to prepare titanium-based composite powder, then the spherical titanium powder and reinforcement phase can be mixed, but powder sphericity is damaged, impurities are introduced, and uneven mixing occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical ball milling system with a chemical in-situ reaction system. Titanium diboride powder and aluminum powder are mixed and subjected to self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS), where the reinforcement phase TiBw is formed in-situ within the titanium matrix through chemical reaction, eliminating the need for mechanical mixing and preserving powder sphericity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the preparation parameters by controlling the particle size ratio of titanium diboride to aluminum powder (d(TiB2)/d(Al) = 0.5-2.0), the aluminum content (5-15 wt%), and the sintering temperature (800-1000°C) to achieve optimal in-situ reaction conditions that produce uniform TiBw reinforcement phase with controlled morphology and distribution
2Reliability
If conventional thermal processing including extrusion, forging and rolling is used to eliminate internal defects, then the titanium-based composite materials can be processed, but the production cost increases and the reinforcement phase size remains uncontrollable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary action by forming the reinforcement phase TiBw in-situ during the powder preparation stage through controlled chemical reaction and sintering. This preliminary formation of the desired microstructure eliminates the need for subsequent complex thermal processing steps like extrusion, forging, and rolling that would be required to achieve similar microstructural control
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes phase transitions during the in-situ reaction process, where the chemical reaction between titanium diboride and aluminum produces titanium boride reinforcement phase through controlled phase transformation. The sintering process also involves phase transitions that enable densification and microstructure formation, achieving defect elimination and reinforcement phase control in a single integrated process
3Adaptability or versatility
If the original particle size and solidification rate are not controlled, then the reinforcement phase size in titanium-based composite materials is hard to regulate, but this leads to uncontrollable performance and limited application
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by establishing a systematic relationship between input parameters (titanium diboride particle size, aluminum content, sintering temperature and time) and the output reinforcement phase characteristics. Through controlled in-situ reaction, the reinforcement phase size, morphology, and distribution can be precisely regulated, providing feedback-based optimization of material performance for specific applications
Solution Approach 2:
The patent systematically changes key parameters including the particle size ratio of reactants (d(TiB2)/d(Al) = 0.5-2.0), aluminum content (5-15 wt%), sintering temperature (800-1000°C), and sintering time (1-4 hours) to achieve precise control over reinforcement phase size and morphology, enabling adaptation to different application requirements
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The boron-containing titanium-based composite powder achieves a quasi-continuous network structure with controllable TiBw sizes, enhancing the mechanical properties and reducing production costs by directly integrating into 3D printing processes without sphericity damage or impurity introduction, thus expanding the application range of titanium-based composite materials.
Implementation Method 1
the use of the rapid solidification during gas atomization to prepare the boron-containing titanium-based composite powder
Implementation Method 2
a supersaturated solid solution-nucleation-precipitation-growth mechanism of the reinforcement phase
Implementation Method 3
a supersaturated solid solution-nucleation-precipitation-growth mechanism of the reinforcement phase
Implementation Method 4
a supersaturated solid solution-nucleation-precipitation-growth mechanism of the reinforcement phase
Data Source
AI summary
This invention discloses a boron-containing titanium-based composite powder for 3D printing, consisting of 0.5%-2% by weight of titanium diboride and 98%-99.5% by weight of titanium sponge. The invention further discloses a method of preparing such composite powder, where the element boron is introduced to the titanium powder through rapid solidification, which significantly improves the solid solubility of boron in Ti, enabling the introduction of part of the boron into the titanium matrix to form supersaturated solid solutions. The reinforcement phase TiB in the boron-containing titanium-based composite powder prepared herein can be precisely controlled in grain size ranging from the nanometer scale to the micrometer scale through temperature or energy density, thereby preparing the titanium-based composite materials with different sizes of reinforcement phases to meet different mechanical requirements.