Achievements

Achievement

Recently, a multinational collaborative research team published its findings in the journal Additive Manufacturing. Leveraging two advanced in-situ characterization techniques—high-speed optical imaging and ultrafast synchrotron X-ray imaging—the team has fully elucidated the fundamental mechanisms underlying ultrasonic atomization, thereby establishing a robust theoretical foundation for the industrial-scale production of high-quality metal powders via this method.

In the field of additive manufacturing (3D printing), spherical metal powders are the core raw material, and their sphericity, flowability, and compositional uniformity directly determine the quality of the final product. While conventional powder‑making techniques such as gas atomization, water atomization, and plasma spheroidization can achieve large‑scale production, they suffer from bulky equipment, high changeover costs, and poor feedstock compatibility, making it difficult to meet the demands of rapid new‑alloy development in laboratory settings and hindering the practical implementation of metal‑material recycling. Ultrasonic atomization, with its advantages of compactness, high flexibility, and strong feedstock compatibility, has emerged as a leading technology in powder metallurgy and additive manufacturing, opening up new avenues for sustainable materials development.

With the rapid advancement of 3D printing (additive manufacturing) technology, demand for high-performance metal powders continues to grow, particularly in sectors such as aerospace, automotive, and medical industries. As a next-generation metal powder, titanium-based composite powders have become a research hotspot due to their excellent properties, including light weight, high strength, and corrosion resistance. However, conventional powder‑making methods suffer from issues like uneven particle size, severe agglomeration, and compositional heterogeneity, which limit their practical applications. Recently, an innovative ultrasonic atomization technique has offered a new solution to these challenges. This paper provides an in-depth exploration of “Preparation and Performance Study of Multi‑Scale Enhanced Titanium‑Based Composite Powders via Ultrasonic Atomization,” proposed by Professor Dong Fuyu of Shenyang University of Technology and his colleagues. It examines the process flow, microstructure, mechanical and functional properties, and potential future applications of this advanced material.

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