Hierarchical Composite via Laser Cooling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of real-life size parts from bulk metallic glass is challenging due to high cooling rate requirements, and existing hierarchical composite materials tend to be brittle, lacking ductility while maintaining high fatigue resistance and elastic modulus.
Innovation Solution
An additive manufacturing method utilizing laser powder bed fusion with in-situ control of local cooling rates through modeling and a cryogenic cooling system to produce hierarchical inhomogeneous composite materials with variable mechanical properties, incorporating alternating hard-soft zones and hybrid structures with crystalline grains in an amorphous matrix.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If bulk metallic glass is used to produce real-life size parts, then excellent elastic modulus is achieved, but high cooling rate requirements make production challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The component is divided into multiple regions with different cooling rates, creating a hierarchical structure with amorphous regions (for elastic modulus) and crystalline grain regions (for ductility). This segmentation allows different parts of the component to have different microstructures optimized for their specific functional requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the component are assigned different local properties through controlled cooling rates. Some regions maintain amorphous structure for high elastic modulus, while other regions develop crystalline grains for ductility. This local quality variation resolves the contradiction by allowing the component to have both high strength and manufacturability in different locations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If hierarchical composite materials are used to accommodate plastic strain, then ductility is improved, but the materials tend to be brittle
Solution Approach 1:
The invention creates a composite-like hierarchical structure within a single material system, combining amorphous matrix regions with crystalline grain regions. The amorphous regions provide ductility and plastic strain accommodation, while the crystalline regions maintain strength and fatigue resistance, effectively resolving the brittleness-ductility contradiction through microstructural composition.
3Adaptability or versatility
If in-situ control of local cooling rate is implemented during additive manufacturing, then location-specific properties are achieved, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling rate is made dynamic and controllable during the additive manufacturing process. By adjusting cooling rates in real-time for different regions, the process achieves location-specific properties. This dynamic control, while increasing process complexity, enables the versatile production of components with spatially varying microstructures and properties.
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
Enables the production of components with enhanced ductility and fatigue resistance while maintaining high elastic modulus, achieving location-specific properties and reducing defects, suitable for applications in aerostructures and naval components.
Implementation Method 1
additive manufacturing comprises laser powder bed fusion
Implementation Method 2
laser powder bed fusion with in-situ control of local cooling rates
Implementation Method 3
cryogenic cooling system internally installed in a laser powder bed machine
Implementation Method 4
in-situ controlling of a local cooling rate during the additive manufacturing
Implementation Method 5
phase field model for microstructure prediction and customization
Implementation Method 6
solidification map prediction models
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides improved additive manufacturing methods and systems. More particularly, the present disclosure provides advantageous additive manufacturing methods and systems for the production of hierarchical design optimized components (e.g., composite or composite-like materials). The present disclosure provides a methodology to produce hierarchical design optimized additively manufactured parts/materials that include an inhomogeneous structure with variable local mechanical properties across the entire volume. Hierarchical inhomogeneous structure/composite materials can be produced through a laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) process. A novel LPBF method can be used to obtain location-specific properties through in-situ controlling of the local cooling rate during the additive manufacturing process.