Additive Manufacturing of Bulk Metallic Glasses—Process, Challenges and Properties: A Review

Abstract

Bulk Metallic Glasses (BMG) are metallic alloys that have the ability to solidify in an amorphous state. BMGs show enhanced properties, for instance, high hardness, strength, and excellent corrosion and wear resistance. BMGs produced by conventional methods are limited in size due to the high cooling rates required to avoid crystallization and the associated detrimental mechanical properties. Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques are a potential solution to this problem as the interaction between the heat source, e.g., laser, and the feedstock, e.g., powder, is short and confined to a small volume. However, producing amorphous parts with AM techniques with mechanical properties comparable to as-cast samples remains a challenge for most BMGs, and a complete understanding of the crystallization mechanisms is missing. This review paper tries to cover recent progress in this field and develop a thorough understanding of the correlation between different aspects of the topic. The following subjects are addressed: (i) AM techniques used for the fabrication of BMGs, (ii) particular BMGs used in AM, (iii) specific challenges in AM of BMGs such as the control of defects and crystallization, (iv) process optimization of mechanical properties, and (v) future trends.

Additive manufacturing technology, process parameters influencing product quality and its applications

“…From the results and analysis of this literature review of the advances, challenges, and applications of AM, we can conclude that AM's future depends on overcoming the challenges and disadvantages [115]. The size and number of parts to be printed are limited by the size of the printing chamber, which increases the manufacturing time by adding an assembly step for parts produced in individual pieces [116]. Printing large-scale with accuracy can lead to more opportunities in the aerospace, defense, and automotive industries.…”

Recent development of chemically complex metallic glasses: from accelerated compositional design, additive manufacturing to novel applications

“…According to the recent review article by Zhang et al [24], the up-to-date laser based 3D printing techniques to fabricate BMGs include selective laser melting (SLM), laser engineered net shaping, thermal spray 3D printing, laser foil 3D printing, fused filament fabrication, and laser forward transfer 3D printing. Among these 3D printing techniques, SLM may be the most popular method to be reported from 2013 to 2021 [137]. By comparison, SLM enables a high cooling rate (10 4 ∼10 6 K s −1 ) [23,138], a better dimensional precision with a laser spot of 10 2 ∼10 3 µm [137,139], and good control of geometric complexities [112].…”

“…Among these 3D printing techniques, SLM may be the most popular method to be reported from 2013 to 2021 [137]. By comparison, SLM enables a high cooling rate (10 4 ∼10 6 K s −1 ) [23,138], a better dimensional precision with a laser spot of 10 2 ∼10 3 µm [137,139], and good control of geometric complexities [112]. Figure 5(a) sketches one typical operational mechanism of SLM, for which thin layers of MG powders are paved onto a base plate subject to the scanning melting of a laser beam guided by the galvano mirrors (scanner) in order to build a 3D structure layer by layer (figure 5(b)).…”

Fusión Láser en Cama De Polvos De Un Vidrio Metálico Base Hierro: Estudio Exploratorio

“…En los últimos años ha crecido el interés para la fabricación de componentes funcionales a partir de aleaciones no convencionales por MA, como, por ejemplo, los vidrios metálicos [9]. Los vidrios metálicos son una familia de aleaciones fuera del equilibrio que muestran propiedades químicas y mecánicas únicas en comparación con las que se encuentran en los sistemas metálicos cristalinos convencionales.…”