The present invention relates to a metal powder for use within an additive manufacturing process, the powder comprising steel particles, wherein the steel particles comprise, in a proportion by weight greater than or equal to 0.01% by weight and less than or equal to 5% by weight, carbonitrides (C,N) and/or carbides (C) and/or nitrides (N) selected from the group consisting of titanium, zirconium or mixtures thereof. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for producing a steel powder suitable for use within an additive manufacturing process and to the use of the steel powder according to the invention in an additive manufacturing process.

The invention relates to a production method of the powders composed of spherical heavy metal particles utilizing an ultrasonic atomization, where these powders can be applied in industrial applications, like additive manufacturing and several other. The method for production of heavy metal powders by ultrasonic atomization comprises providing a heavy metal raw material (5) in the vicinity of a heat source (13) being an electric arc (13), heating the heavy raw material (5) by the electric arc (13), so as to create a molten metal pool (21) on a sonotrode (3), the molten metal pool (21) having a temperature equal to or greater than the melting temperature of the heavy metal raw material (5), but below the vaporization temperature of the heavy metal raw material (5), providing ultrasonic mechanic vibrations by the sonotrode (3) to the molten metal pool (21), so as to cause the heavy metals droplets (11) being ejected from the molten metal pool (21), directing the ejected heavy metal droplets (11) away from the molten metal pool (21), so as the heavy metal droplets (11) freely cool down within a predetermined distance at least by radiation and transform to a heavy metal powder (11), collecting the heavy metal powder (11), so as to collect at least 75% of the heavy metal raw material (5) in the form of the heavy metal powder (11′).

To provide an apparatus for producing a metal powder and a method of producing a metal powder capable of obtaining a metal powder having a finer particle size of excellent quality. A supersonic combustion flame is intensively injected into a downwardly supplied molten metal, the intensive combustion flame is jetted directly downwardly as a focused jet flow, the focused jet flow thrusts into a turning water flow formed along an inner peripheral surface of a pulverization cooling cylinder whose axis line is inclined from a vertical direction, and an intensive position of the combustion flame is in an open space above the turning water flow.

To provide an apparatus for producing a metal powder and a method of producing a metal powder capable of obtaining a metal powder having a finer particle size of excellent quality. A supersonic combustion flame is intensively injected into a downwardly supplied molten metal, the intensive combustion flame is jetted directly downwardly as a focused jet flow, the focused jet flow thrusts into a turning water flow formed along an inner peripheral surface of a pulverization cooling cylinder whose axis line is inclined from a vertical direction, and an intensive position of the combustion flame is in an open space above the turning water flow.

An alloy represented by the formula (Mn.sub.xAl.sub.y)C.sub.z, the alloy being aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), and carbon (C), and optionally unavoidable impurities; wherein x=56.0 to 59.0 y=41.0 to 44.0 x+y=100, and z=1.5 to 2.4. The alloy is highly suitable for forming the ε and ε phase in high purity and high microstructural homogeneity. A method for processing an alloy of formula (Mn.sub.x′Al.sub.y′)C.sub.z′, wherein x′=52.0 to 59.0, y′=41.0 to 48.0, x′+y′=100, and z′=0.1 to 3.0, the process including providing the raw materials of the alloy, melting the raw materials, and forming particles of the alloy by gas atomization of the molten alloy.

An alloy represented by the formula (Mn.sub.xAl.sub.y)C.sub.z, the alloy being aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), and carbon (C), and optionally unavoidable impurities; wherein x=56.0 to 59.0 y=41.0 to 44.0 x+y=100, and z=1.5 to 2.4. The alloy is highly suitable for forming the ε and ε phase in high purity and high microstructural homogeneity. A method for processing an alloy of formula (Mn.sub.x′Al.sub.y′)C.sub.z′, wherein x′=52.0 to 59.0, y′=41.0 to 48.0, x′+y′=100, and z′=0.1 to 3.0, the process including providing the raw materials of the alloy, melting the raw materials, and forming particles of the alloy by gas atomization of the molten alloy.

According to one or more embodiments presently described, metal-containing particles may be made by a method that includes introducing a molten material into a reaction zone of a reactor system, passing a process gas into the reaction zone in a direction substantially tangential to a sidewall of the reaction zone, and contacting the process gas with the molten material in the reaction zone to form metal-containing particles. The molten material may be introduced into an upper portion of the reaction zone The reaction zone may include a substantially circular cross-section, and the molten metal may be introduced into the reaction zone in a laminar flow or as atomized particles.

An alloy represented by the formula (Mn.sub.xAl.sub.y)C.sub.z, the alloy being aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), and carbon (C), and optionally unavoidable impurities; wherein x=56.0 to 59.0 y=41.0 to 44.0 x+y=100, and z=1.5 to 2.4. The alloy is highly suitable for forming the ε and τ phase in high purity and high microstructural homogeneity. A method for processing an alloy of formula (Mn.sub.x′Al.sub.y′)C.sub.z′, wherein x′=52.0 to 59.0, y′=41.0 to 48.0, x′+y′=100, and z′=0.1 to 3.0, the process including providing the raw materials of the alloy, melting the raw materials, and forming particles of the alloy by gas atomization of the molten alloy.

An alloy represented by the formula (Mn.sub.xAl.sub.y)C.sub.z, the alloy being aluminum (Al), manganese (Mn), and carbon (C), and optionally unavoidable impurities; wherein x=56.0 to 59.0 y=41.0 to 44.0 x+y=100, and z=1.5 to 2.4. The alloy is highly suitable for forming the ε and τ phase in high purity and high microstructural homogeneity. A method for processing an alloy of formula (Mn.sub.x′Al.sub.y′)C.sub.z′, wherein x′=52.0 to 59.0, y′=41.0 to 48.0, x′+y′=100, and z′=0.1 to 3.0, the process including providing the raw materials of the alloy, melting the raw materials, and forming particles of the alloy by gas atomization of the molten alloy.

A method of manufacturing powder from a first and a second materials for use in additive manufacturing, the manufacturing process including melting the first and second materials by an electric arc; spraying the melted materials so as to form droplets; cooling the droplets by a carrier gas so as to form solid particles; separating the solid particles from the carrier gas and collecting the solid particles so as to form the powder; and enriching the droplets and/or the particles by means of an active substance.