Production of Exotic Metal Powders for Printing of Accelerator Components
- Plasma Processes, LLC
Accelerators are necessary for the fundamental study of matter and its origins. A critical component of accelerators are the niobium superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities, which are used to accelerate the particles. Because of the significant number of niobium SRF cavities required for each accelerator, innovative manufacturing techniques are needed to reduce fabrication costs and to ensure high quality cavities are produced. Recently, 3D Additive Manufacturing (AM) methods have been shown to reduce the cost and fabrication time of complex components using conventional metals. However, the high melting temperatures, sensitivity to interstitial impurities, and difficulty of obtaining suitable feedstock materials have limited the 3D printing of refractory metals and other exotic materials. Recently, innovative Plasma Alloying and Spheroidization (PAS) techniques have been developed, which enable the production of high purity, spherical refractory metal powders. During this effort, PAS processing methods are being developed to produce exotic metal powders such as niobium for 3D printing of accelerator cavities. To demonstrate the process, commercially pure hydride/dehydride (HDH) niobium powder was used as the feedstock for PAS processing during Phase I. Preliminary results have shown the ability to produce spherical niobium powder with significant improvement in flowability and metallic impurity levels similar to wrought RRR300 grade niobium. Although interstitial impurity levels were reduced to levels below commercially available high purity niobium powder, additional development is needed to further lower interstitial impurities. Using the PAS niobium powder, AM processing methods were used to produce 3D printed niobium samples for preliminary characterization. Tensile testing of AM produced samples from PAS niobium showed the mechanical properties were equivalent or superior to wrought niobium. Preliminary RRR testing showed AM samples produced with PAS niobium powder have values equivalent to AM samples previously produced with reactor grade niobium feedstock. During Phase II, the processing techniques developed during Phase I will be optimized and significant emphasis will be placed on producing higher purity niobium feedstock for AM processing. In addition, in-situ reduction for the niobium powder during AM processing will be evaluated. For the Phase II effort, Plasma Processes will partner with North Carolina State University and Thomas Jefferson Laboratory to design and develop the techniques to enable the production of a 3D printed SRF cavity for testing.
- Research Organization:
- Plasma Processes, LLC
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- SC0018782
- OSTI ID:
- 1508336
- Type / Phase:
- SBIR (Phase I)
- Report Number(s):
- DOE-PLASMA-0018782
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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