Feedstocks for additive manufacturing, and methods of using the same

Abstract

Some variations provide a method of making an additively manufactured metal component, comprising: providing a feedstock that includes a high-vapor-pressure metal; exposing a first amount of the feedstock to an energy source for melting; and solidifying the melt layer, thereby generating a solid layer of an additively manufactured metal component. The metal-containing feedstock is enriched with a higher concentration of the high-vapor-pressure metal compared to its concentration in the additively manufactured metal component. The high-vapor-pressure metal may be selected from Mg, Zn, Li, Al, Cd, Hg, K, Na, Rb, Cs, Mn, Be, Ca, Sr, or Ba, for example. Additively manufactured metal components are provided. Metal-containing feedstocks for additive manufacturing are also disclosed, wherein concentration of at least one high-vapor-pressure metal in the feedstock is selected based on a desired concentration of the high-vapor-pressure metal in an additively manufactured metal component derived from the metal-containing feedstock. Various feedstock compositions are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of making an additively manufactured metal component, said method comprising:
 (a) providing a metal-containing feedstock comprising a high-vapor-pressure metal and at least one other metal species different than said high-vapor-pressure metal;   (b) exposing a first amount of said metal-containing feedstock to an energy source for melting said first amount of said metal-containing feedstock, thereby generating a first melt layer; and   (c) solidifying said first melt layer, thereby generating a first solid layer of an additively manufactured metal component,   wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains a higher concentration of said high-vapor-pressure metal compared to the concentration of said high-vapor-pressure metal in said first solid layer.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high-vapor-pressure metal is present in said metal-containing feedstock in a concentration from about 0.1 wt % to about 20 wt %. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an enrichment ratio of wt % concentration of said high-vapor-pressure metal in said metal-containing feedstock to wt % concentration of said high-vapor-pressure metal in said first solid layer is at least 1.05. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said enrichment ratio is at least 1.25. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said enrichment ratio is at least 1.5. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein said enrichment ratio is at least 2. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said high-vapor-pressure metal is selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Li, Al, Cd, Hg, K, Na, Rb, Cs, Mn, Be, Ca, Sr, Ba, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said high-vapor-pressure metal is selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn Li, Al, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock is an aluminum alloy. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock is a magnesium alloy. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock is a titanium alloy. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock is a nickel and/or copper superalloy. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains Al, from 0.05 wt % to 0.28 wt % Cr, from 1 wt % to 2 wt % Cu, from 3 wt % to 10 wt % Mg, and from 6.2 wt % to 20 wt % Zn; and wherein said first solid layer contains Al, from 0.18 wt % to 0.28 wt % Cr, from 1.2 wt % to 2 wt % Cu, from 2.1 wt % to 2.9 wt % Mg, and from 5.1 wt % to 6.1 wt % Zn. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains Al, from 0.01 wt % to 5 wt % Zr, from 1 wt % to 2.6 wt % Cu, from 2.7 wt % to 10 wt % Mg, and from 6.7 wt % to 20 wt % Zn; and wherein said first solid layer contains Al, from 0.08 wt % to 5 wt % Zr, from 2 wt % to 2.6 wt % Cu, from 1.9 wt % to 2.6 wt % Mg, and from 5.7 wt % to 6.7 wt % Zn. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains Al, from 0.01 wt % to 5 wt % Zr, from 1.9 wt % to 10 wt % Mg, and from 7.1 wt % to 20 wt % Zn; and wherein said first solid layer contains Al, from 0.07 wt % to 5 wt % Zr, from 1.3 wt % to 1.8 wt % Mg, and from 7 wt % to 8 wt % Zn. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock further comprises grain-refining nanoparticles. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said grain-refining nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of zirconium, silver, lithium, manganese, iron, silicon, vanadium, scandium, yttrium, niobium, tantalum, titanium, boron, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein said grain-refining nanoparticles are selected from the group consisting of zirconium, titanium, tantalum, niobium, and oxides, nitrides, hydrides, carbides, or borides thereof, and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         19 . An additively manufactured metal component produced by a process comprising:
 (a) providing a metal-containing feedstock comprising a high-vapor-pressure metal and at least one other metal species different than said high-vapor-pressure metal;   (b) exposing a first amount of said metal-containing feedstock to an energy source for melting said first amount of said metal-containing feedstock, thereby generating a first melt layer;   (c) solidifying said first melt layer, thereby generating a first solid layer of an additively manufactured metal component; and   (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) a plurality of times to generate a plurality of solid layers by sequentially solidifying a plurality of melt layers in an additive-manufacturing build direction,   wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains a higher concentration of said high-vapor-pressure metal compared to the concentration of said high-vapor-pressure metal in said solid layers.   
     
     
         20 . The additively manufactured metal component of  claim 19 , wherein an enrichment ratio of wt % concentration of said high-vapor-pressure metal in said metal-containing feedstock to wt % concentration of said high-vapor-pressure metal in said first solid layer is at least 1.05. 
     
     
         21 . The additively manufactured metal component of  claim 19 , wherein said high-vapor-pressure metal is selected from the group consisting of Mg, Zn, Li, Al, Cd, Hg, K, Na, Rb, Cs, Mn, Be, Ca, Sr, Ba, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The additively manufactured metal component of  claim 19 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains Al, from 0.05 wt % to 0.28 wt % Cr, from 1 wt % to 2 wt % Cu, from 3 wt % to 10 wt % Mg, and from 6.2 wt % to 20 wt % Zn; and wherein said first solid layer contains Al, from 0.18 wt % to 0.28 wt % Cr, from 1.2 wt % to 2 wt % Cu, from 2.1 wt % to 2.9 wt % Mg, and from 5.1 wt % to 6.1 wt % Zn. 
     
     
         23 . The additively manufactured metal component of  claim 19 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains Al, from 0.01 wt % to 5 wt % Zr, from 1 wt % to 2.6 wt % Cu, from 2.7 wt % to 10 wt % Mg, and from 6.7 wt % to 20 wt % Zn; and wherein said first solid layer contains Al, from 0.08 wt % to 5 wt % Zr, from 2 wt % to 2.6 wt % Cu, from 1.9 wt % to 2.6 wt % Mg, and from 5.7 wt % to 6.7 wt % Zn. 
     
     
         24 . The additively manufactured metal component of  claim 19 , wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains Al, from 0.01 wt % to 5 wt % Zr, from 1.9 wt % to 10 wt % Mg, and from 7.1 wt % to 20 wt % Zn; and wherein said first solid layer contains Al, from 0.07 wt % to 5 wt % Zr, from 1.3 wt % to 1.8 wt % Mg, and from 7 wt % to 8 wt % Zn. 
     
     
         25 . The additively manufactured metal component of  claim 19 , wherein said plurality of solid layers have differing primary growth-direction angles with respect to each other. 
     
     
         26 . The additively manufactured metal component of  claim 19 , wherein said additively manufactured metal component has a microstructure with equiaxed grains. 
     
     
         27 . A metal-containing feedstock for additive manufacturing, wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains Al, from 0.05 wt % to 0.28 wt % Cr, from 1 wt % to 2 wt % Cu, from 3 wt % to 10 wt % Mg, and from 6.2 wt % to 20 wt % Zn. 
     
     
         28 . A metal-containing feedstock for additive manufacturing, wherein said metal-containing feedstock contains Al, from 0.01 wt % to 5 wt % Zr, from 1.9 wt % to 10 wt % Mg, from 6.7 wt % to 20 wt % Zn, and optionally from 1 wt % to 2.6 wt % Cu.