Metal powders are typically used as the raw material for creating metal parts in additive manufacturing. The powder particles are designed to have uniform size and shape characteristics, which ensure consistency and efficiency in the printing process.

Metal powders used in additive manufacturing are available in a variety of materials,

Including

• Titanium: is often used in aerospace and medical applications due to its strength, lightweight, and biocompatibility.
• Stainless steel: useful for a variety of applications for its corrosion resistance, ductility, and toughness.
• Cobalt chromium: is frequently used for dental and medical implants due to its high biocompatibility and resistance to wear and corrosion.
• Aluminum: utilized in aerospace, automotive, and marine industries for its low density, good strength, and thermal conductivity.

Metal powders can be used in the production of lightweight components. The resulting component has a high strength-to-weight ratio and can be used in the aerospace, automotive, and medical industries.

Metal powders used in lightweight components are available in a variety of materials,

Including

• Aluminum: useful in aerospace, automotive, and other industries due to its low density, high strength, and good corrosion resistance.
• Magnesium: the ideal choice for automotive components and consumer electronics because of its lowest density of all commonly used structural metals.
• Titanium: useful in aerospace, medical, and other industries where lightweight components are critical due to their strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility.
• Beryllium:  useful for lightweight, rigid components in aerospace and other high-performance applications since it has the highest specific stiffness of any metal.
• Scandium: can be added to aluminum to create high-strength, lightweight alloys for aerospace and other applications.

Metal powders are used in Energy Storage Systems (ESS) as electrodes in batteries, supercapacitors for better energy storage capacity and power, hydrogen storage as metal hydrides, and thermal energy storage by heating the powder.

Metal powders used in energy storage systems are available in a variety of materials,

Including

• Lithium: used in the cathodes of lithium-ion batteries, which are widely used in portable electronics and electric vehicles.
• Cobalt: commonly used in the cathodes of lithium-ion batteries due to its high energy density and stability.
• Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd): used for energy storage due to their high energy density, long cycle life, and ability to withstand extreme temperatures.
• Vanadium: utilized in vanadium redox flow batteries, which are used for large-scale energy storage applications such as renewable energy integration.

Iron: used in iron-based flow batteries, which are a promising alternative to traditional lithium-ion batteries for certain energy storage applications due to their low cost and potential for high energy density.

Metal powders are mixed with a binder material to form a feedstock for Metal Injection Molding (MIM). Powders are often in spherical shapes to ensure good flowability, and they can be customized with specific compositions and sizes to achieve desired properties.

Commonly used metal powders in metal injection molds are various,

Including

• Stainless steel: useful in a variety of applications due to its corrosion resistance, strength, and ductility.
• Low alloy steels: ideal for demanding industrial applications for their high strength and wear resistance.
• Titanium alloys: useful in aerospace, medical, and other industries for their high strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance.
• Cobalt-Chrome: commonly used in MIM for its high strength, wear resistance, and biocompatibility.

Metal powders are commonly used in the manufacturing of refractory materials due to their excellent heat-resistant properties. They offer advantages over traditional refractory materials such as higher resistance to heat, durability, and design flexibility.

Metal powders in the production of refractory materials are available in a variety of materials,

Including

• Tungsten: useful for high-temperature applications due to its high melting point and strength at high temperatures.
• Molybdenum: often used in high-temperature applications such as furnace parts and electrical contacts for its high melting point.
• Chromium: useful in chemical processing and other high-temperature applications for its corrosion resistance and high-temperature strength.
• Titanium: can be used to improve the high-temperature properties of refractory materials, particularly their oxidation resistance.
• Zirconium: commonly used in high-temperature applications due to its low thermal neutron absorption and resistance to corrosion and oxidation.

Metal powders are commonly used in thermal spray coating processes to form a protective or decorative coating on the surface of a substrate. The coating offers desirable properties such as corrosion resistance, wear resistance, thermal insulation, and more.

Metal powders used in thermal spray coating are available in a variety of materials,

Including

• Aluminum: frequently used for corrosion protection and conductive coatings.
• Zinc: often used for corrosion resistance in harsh environments.
• Stainless steel: used for wear and corrosion resistance in food processing, aerospace, and marine industries.
• Nickel-Chromium: commonly used in aerospace and marine industry for their high temperature resistance, good corrosion resistance, and high mechanical strength.
• Tungsten carbide cobalt: useful in applications such as machine parts and cutting tools for its high wear resistance, toughness, and ability to withstand high temperatures.

Metal powders are used in the manufacturing process of magnetic alloys, which are then sintered to create a crystalline structure that exhibits magnetic properties. The resulting magnetic alloy can be further processed to create magnets, sensors, and data storage devices. Examples of magnetic alloys include neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) and samarium-cobalt (SmCo), which are used to create powerful magnets.

Here are the most commonly used metal powders in magnetic alloys,

Including

• Iron - the most widely used magnetic metal due to its abundance, excellent magnetic properties, and low cost.
• Samarium-cobalt - known for its high magnetic energy product and high coercivity, making it useful in high-temperature applications, as well as in electric motors and generators.
• Alnico - valued by its high magnetic permeability and high coercivity, making them ideal for use in permanent magnets.
• Neodymium - utilized in neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets, which have the highest magnetic energy product of any commercially available magnet.

Metal powders are used in industrial tooling applications such as cutting tools, drill bits, and high-speed steel. They are mixed with other materials to create hard, wear-resistant coatings that enhance the durability and performance of these tools.

The most representative metal powders used in industrial tooling are here,

Including

• Cobalt-Chromium: useful in medical and dental implant applications for their high strength, wear resistance, and biocompatibility.
• Molybdenum: often added to high-speed steel to enhance its strength and resistance to wear.
• Titanium: used in the production of precision cutting tools due to its high strength and low density.

Metal powders are used in semiconductors as essential components in the production of thin films and coatings. They are often used to deposit metal layers onto a substrate. They are also used in the manufacture of various semiconductor packaging materials.

Some of the most widely used metal powders in semiconductor applications are here,

Including

• Aluminum: widely used for interconnects and packaging materials due to its excellent corrosion resistance and conductivity.
• Copper: commonly used for wiring and metallization for its high electrical and thermal conductivity.
• Gold: used for bonding wires and contact pads due to its excellent conductivity, ductility, and resistance to oxidation.
• Silver: used for bonding wires and conductive traces because of its high electrical conductivity, low contact resistance, and relatively low cost.
• Titanium: used for barrier layers and adhesion promoters due to its good adhesion properties and ability to prevent diffusion of copper or gold into adjacent layers.

Metal powders are widely used in catalysts to facilitate chemical reactions and increase reaction rates. They are often used as active ingredients in catalyst formulations or as support materials for other catalytic elements.

Metal powders used in catalysts are available in a variety of materials,

Including

• Platinum: widely used in automotive catalytic converters, as well as in the production of fertilizers, plastics, and chemicals.
• Palladium: commonly used in organic synthesis, pharmaceuticals, and fine chemicals.
• Rhodium: used in the production of nitric acid, as well as in catalytic converters and hydroformylation reactions.
• Gold: used in oxidation and hydrogenation reactions, as well as in nanocatalysis for biomedical and environmental applications.
• Nickel: commonly used in petroleum refining and ammonia production, as well as in hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions.

Metal powders are an essential component in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and solid oxide electrolysis cells (SOECs). They are used as electrode materials due to their high electrical conductivity and stability at high temperatures.

The most representative metal powders used in SOFC and SOEC applications are here,

Including

• Nickel: widely used as the anode material due to its high catalytic activity and stability at high temperatures.
• Cobalt: used in combination with nickel to form a composite anode, providing good performance and durability.
• Iron: commonly used as an alternative to nickel or cobalt, offering lower cost and better resistance to oxidation.
• Platinum: used as the cathode material due to its high catalytic activity and conductivity, enabling efficient oxygen reduction reactions.
• Silver: also used as a cathode material for its excellent conductivity and compatibility with certain electrolyte materials, such as yttria-stabilized zirconia.

Metal powders are used as the starting material to produce high-quality, fully dense metal parts in Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP). The process involves subjecting the powdered metal components to high temperature and pressure within a sealed container filled with gas.

Metal powders used in hot isostatic pressing are available in a variety of materials,

Including

• Titanium and titanium alloy: useful in aerospace, medical implants, automotive, and marine equipment due to its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility.
• Stainless Steel: useful in industries like automotive, consumer goods, and medical devices for its excellent corrosion resistance, toughness, and durability.
• Cobalt Chromium: utilized in dental and medical implant industries due to its high biocompatibility, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.
• Nickel-based Superalloys: widely used in industries such as aerospace engines, gas turbines, and chemical processing equipment that require high-temperature strength, corrosion resistance, and oxidation resistance.
• Aluminum: used in aerospace, automotive, and marine where lightweight components with efficient heat dissipation are needed, thanks to its low density, good strength, and thermal conductivity.