Producing sintered powder made of metal matrix material, comprises e.g. providing ceramic reinforcing particles and metallic alloy, melting, directing gas jet to melt, taking melt droplets, obtaining and collecting sintered powder

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This invention relates to a method for producing sintered powder made from a metal matrix composite, particularly using a hypereutectic aluminum-silicon alloy and ceramic reinforcing particles. The process involves melting the metal alloy, introducing the ceramic particles, using a gas jet to create droplets, and ensuring the ceramic particles are coated by the molten metal. These coated particles are then cooled and collected as a sintered powder with a homogenous distribution of ceramic particles within the alloy matrix.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Production of high-performance automotive components (e.g., pistons, cylinders) requiring lightweight and wear-resistant materials
• Manufacture of aerospace parts that benefit from strong, lightweight composites
• Creation of tooling and molds with high durability and thermal stability
• Additive manufacturing (3D printing) applications using advanced metal matrix composite powders
• Electronics industry components where heat dissipation and mechanical strength are needed

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Improved homogeneity and fine structure in the metal matrix composite, leading to enhanced mechanical properties
• Potential for increased wear resistance and strength in finished components due to the uniform distribution of ceramic reinforcement
• Enables the creation of materials that are lightweight yet strong, particularly advantageous for automotive and aerospace industries
• Flexible process suitable for producing high-quality powder for advanced manufacturing methods like additive manufacturing
• Enhanced control over particle coating and composition, improving final product quality and consistency

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Patent Abstract

Producing sintered powder (1) made of metal matrix material based on a hypereutectic aluminum-silicon alloy and ceramic reinforcing particles (2), comprises (a) providing the ceramic reinforcing particles and a metallic alloy, (b) melting the metallic alloy, and maintaining melt (3) at a temperature depending on the metal matrix composition, (c) directing a gas jet to the melt, and discharging the ceramic reinforcing particles, (d) taking melt droplets of the melt-droplet jet in the impact zone, (e) obtaining the sintered powder, and (f) collecting the sintered powder. Producing sintered powder (1) made of metal matrix material based on a hypereutectic aluminum-silicon alloy and ceramic reinforcing particles (2) that are coated in gas phase with metal matrix material, comprises (a) providing the ceramic reinforcing particles and a metallic alloy comprising a metal matrix composition, (b) melting the metallic alloy, and maintaining melt (3) at a temperature depending on the metal matrix composition, where the alloy components of the metallic alloy are homogeneous distributed in the melt, (c) directing a gas jet to the melt to obtain an oriented melt-droplet jet having a first speed, and discharging the ceramic reinforcing particles as a directed particle beam having a second speed, where the melt-droplet jet and the particle beam are directed such that the particle beam meets in an impact zone (4) at an angle to the melt-droplet jet, (d) taking melt droplets of the melt-droplet jet in the impact zone, by the particles of the particle beam to coat the ceramic particles with the melt, (e) obtaining the sintered powder from the particles coated with the melt during solidification of the melt droplets carried along by the particles, and (f) collecting the sintered powder. Independent claims are also included for: (1) the sintered powder produced by the above method; and (2) a sintered body comprising the sintered powder, where the metal matrix composite of the sintered body comprises a homogeneous metal matrix based on hypereutectic aluminum-silicon alloy, homogeneously distributed ceramic reinforcing particles and a fine-grained structure.