Gas-Atomized Nickel Silicide Powders Alloyed with Molybdenum, Cobalt, Titanium, Boron, and Vanadium for Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

Nickel silicides (NiSi) are renowned for their ability to withstand high temperatures and resist oxidation and corrosion in challenging environments. As a result, these alloys have garnered interest for potential applications in turbine blades and underwater settings. However, their high brittleness is a constant obstacle that hinders their use in producing larger parts. A literature review has revealed that incorporating trace amounts of transition metals can enhance the ductility of silicides. Consequently, the present study aims to create NiSi-based powders with the addition of titanium (Ti), boron (B), cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), and vanadium (V) for Additive Manufacturing (AM) through the process of gas atomization. The study comprehensively assesses the microstructure, phase composition, thermal properties, and surface morphology of the produced powder particles, specifically NiSi11.9Co3.4, NiSi10.15V4.85, NiSi11.2Mo1.8, and Ni-Si10.78Ti1.84B0.1. Commonly used analytical techniques (SEM, EDS, XRD, DSC, and laser diffraction) are used to identify the alloy configuration that offers optimal characteristics for AM applications. The results show spherical particles within the size range of 20–63 μm, and only isolated satellites were observed to exist in the produced powders, securing their smooth flow during AM processing.