| Abstract Scope |
Nickel silicides are well known for their immense stability at high temperatures, as well as for being resistant to oxidation and corrosion in many thermal scenarios. In view of this, nickel silicides are ideal candidates for use in turbine blades and other underwater applications. A major concern regarding these materials has always been their low ductility making it difficult to manufacture large components. The presence of small quantities of Mo, Co, Ti, B and V has previously proven to increase the workability of silicides, and an attempt has therefore been made in this study to produce powders of micro-alloyed nickel silicides for Additive Manufacturing (AD) using gas atomisation. The overall microstructure, phase constitution, thermal properties, surface morphology, and density of the produced powders (NiSi11.9Co3.4, NiSi10.15V4.85, NiSi11.2Mo1.8, and NiSi10.78Ti1.84B0.1) have been evaluated using standard analytical techniques (SEM, EDS, XRD, DSC, XPS, pycnometry) to identify the alloy with optimum properties for AM. |