Fabrication and characterization of Fe-Si6.5 soft magnetic alloy metallic powders produced via gas atomization

• Grant number: 22/12178-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2022
• End date: September 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Materials and Metallurgical Engineering - Physical Metallurgy
• Principal Investigator: Angelo Fernandes Andreoli
• Grantee: Mayumi Andrade Nakahashi
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Exatas e de Tecnologia (CCET). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/27031-4 - Effect of process parameters on the metallurgical characteristics of additive-manufactured alloys, AP.JP

Abstract

The Fe-Si6.5 soft magnetic alloy has long been known for its balanced magnetic properties, such as high electrical resistivity, near-zero magnetostriction, and near-zero magnetocrystalline anisotropy, but has not found widespread application in industry due to processing difficulties. Recently, the possibility of manufacturing electric motor parts using electrical steel with high Si content by additive manufacturing has been seen. Metal powders are the raw material used by many additive manufacturing processes, such as powder bed laser melting. Metal powders with particular characteristics, such as narrow size distribution, good flowability, and spherical morphology, are required for application in additive manufacturing processes. This guarantees satisfactory processing performance and reproducibility of the properties of the produced parts. This project will produce by gas atomization and characterize Fe-Si6.5 metal powders. In addition to the characteristics mentioned above, the chemical composition, constitution of crystalline phases, and microstructure formed after solidification in the atomizer will be analyzed. The thermal behavior and the magnetic properties of the powder will also be investigated.