powder2POWDER: a new opportunity for alloy development and powder upcycling

Developing novel alloy compositions is a challenging task, particularly when the final product must be in the form of spherical metal powders containing reactive elements such as Ni or Ti. In most cases, a new alloy requires homogenization before undergoing expensive atomization processes. Preparing homogenized feedstock can be even more costly than atomization itself, especially when a specialized feedstock form is needed for processing reactive alloys, as in EIGA processes. Ultrasonic atomization offers a more flexible approach, enabling the processing of reactive materials without requiring specific feedstock shapes. However, for custom alloys, significant time is still required to prepare feedstock using arc or induction melting. This presentation will explore an alternative approach: producing spherical alloy powders directly from powder blends using ultrasonic atomization combined with the powder2POWDER (P2P) module. This module integrates powder feeding directly with the system’s plasma torch, enabling continuous powder processing. The presentation will focus on case studies involving reactive Ti-based alloys, such as TiMo and TiNbZrTa systems. Powder morphology, particle size distribution, and chemical composition will be characterized before and after P2P processing. Based on these case studies, initial guidelines will be proposed for blending powders to achieve homogeneous, spherical powders suitable for additive manufacturing processes.