Researchers at Nagoya University have created new aluminum alloys designed for high-temperature applications using metal 3D printing technology. The alloys incorporate iron, an element traditionally avoided in aluminum due to brittleness concerns, but the rapid cooling rates in laser powder bed fusion allow for different material properties. The research was published in Nature Communications.
“The design centers on iron, which metallurgists usually don’t add to aluminum because it makes the metal brittle and vulnerable to corrosion,” said Naoki Takata, lead author and professor at Nagoya University Graduate School of Engineering. The extreme cooling rates in the 3D printing process cause molten metal to solidify in seconds, trapping elements in arrangements that cannot form under normal manufacturing conditions.
The research team developed a systematic method to predict which elements will strengthen aluminum and form protective structures. They tested combinations with copper, manganese, and titanium, confirming results through electron microscopy. The best-performing alloy contains aluminum, iron, manganese, and titanium, maintaining both strength at high temperatures and flexibility at room temperature, with one variant staying strong and flexible at 300°C.
The new alloys use abundant, low-cost elements and are designed to be recycling-friendly. “Our method relies on established scientific principles about how elements behave during rapid solidification in 3D printing and is applicable to other metals. The alloys also proved easier to 3D print than conventional high-strength aluminum, which frequently cracks or warps during fabrication,” Professor Takata noted.
Potential applications include lightweight aluminum components for automotive and aerospace industries, particularly in parts operating at elevated temperatures such as compressor rotors and turbine components. The researchers suggest the materials could enable lighter vehicles that consume less fuel and produce fewer emissions, while also providing a framework for designing new classes of metals specifically for 3D printing.
Source: 3dprintingindustry.com