STTR Phase I: Additive manufacturing processes for iron based amorphous metal components

该项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力在于开发一种新的非晶态金属合金，可以使整个社会受益。理论计算表明，使用铁基非晶和纳米复合合金可以实现部件重量减轻90%。通过减轻汽车和航空航天领域的部件重量，可以显著节省燃油。节省燃料将导致成本降低和温室气体排放减少。非晶铁磁合金的另一个应用领域是电动机、变压器和滤波器中的电磁芯。铁磁非晶合金可以将这些应用中的能量损失降低高达80%，这相当于全球每年化石燃料发电厂的5000万吨二氧化碳排放量或美国每年核电产量的1/10。非晶态金属也可能对医疗保健产生重大影响。非晶态金属可以解决医疗植入物行业目前因召回和诉讼而面临的极其昂贵的金属沉积问题。这个小企业技术转移研究（STTR）第一阶段项目旨在证明铁基非晶态金属部件的金属基增材制造（AM）的可行性。将开发具有上级机械和/或磁性能的合金的AM工艺，并增加对材料机制的科学理解。虽然初步的研究表明，制造具有非晶体特性的较大组件的结果是有希望的，但仍有一些问题需要解决。为了应对这些挑战，重要的是通过使用电子束熔化和直接金属激光烧结技术的大量实验工作来建立用于形成致密、无裂纹的材料的适当工艺参数。为了支持实验工作，将开发唯象有限元（FE）模型。有限元模型将首先通过初始实验进行验证，然后用于对工艺参数（如构建温度、零件方向和扫描策略）做出明智的选择。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this project lies in development of a new class of amorphous metal alloys that could benefit society as a whole. Theoretical calculations have shown that 90% weight reduction of components can be achieved with Iron-based amorphous and nano-composite alloys. By reducing the weight of components in automotive and aerospace, significant fuel savings can be achieved. Fuel savings will result in both reduced cost as well as reduced emissions of greenhouse gases. Another field of application for amorphous ferromagnetic alloys is electromagnetic cores in electrical motors, transformers and filters. Ferromagnetic amorphous alloys allows for reduced energy losses in these applications by up to 80%, which correspond globally to 50 Million tons of CO2 emissions from fossil fuel power plants per year or 1/10 of the nuclear power production per year in the US. Amorphous metal could also have big impact on healthcare. Amorphous metals could address extremely costly metallosis issues currently experienced by the medical implant industry due to recalls and lawsuits.This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I project is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of metal based additive manufacturing (AM) of Iron-based amorphous metal components. AM processes for alloys with superior mechanical and/or magnetic properties will be developed, and increased scientific understanding of the material mechanisms achieved. While preliminary research show promising results for fabricating larger components with amorphous bulk properties, there are still issues that need to be resolved. To address these challenges, it is important that proper process parameters for forming dense, crack-free, material are established by extensive experimental work using both Electron Beam Melting and Direct Metal Laser Sintering technologies. To support the experimental work, phenomenological Finite Element (FE) models will be developed. The FE models will first be validated through initial experiments and then be used to make informed choices regarding process parameters such as building temperature, part orientation and scanning strategy.