这国防高级研究项目局(DARPA) has awarded additive manufacturing materials developerElementum 3Da Direct to Phase II SBIR contract to develop a 3D printing process for the metal rhenium.
rhenium是地球上最稀有的金属之一，属于称为耐火金属的群体。它以其高密度和极端耐热性而闻名，在元素周期表上所有金属元件中提供了第二高的熔点（仅次于钨）。
金属的热和机械性能的高性能混合物使其作为航空航天部门的组件材料高度追捧，那里的零件通常会受到高应力和极端热量的影响。DARPA认为，使用Rhenium打印3D的能力将有助于开发持久的火箭和导弹推进系统。
Elementum 3D’s AM materials
Elementum 3D总部位于科罗拉多州，成立于2014年，专门研究3D打印的高级金属，复合和陶瓷粉末的研究和开发。该公司使用其材料创建其材料专利的反应性添加剂制造（RAM）技术雷电竞充值, which uses ceramic reinforcements to prevent the materials from cracking during the solidification process.
因此，它可用于开发由通常与3D打印不兼容的金属制成的粉末。其中包括已建立的锻造合金，例如铝1000、2024、6061、7050和7075。
除了其材料组合,Elementumalso develops parameter sets for laser powder bed fusion. The company has already created repeatable processes for other refractory metals such as tantalum, tungsten, tungsten heavy alloy, and tungsten-rhenium alloy. DARPA expects this experience to come in handy when establishing a rhenium print process for critical applications.
Difficulties in processing rhenium
Rhenium is already widely used as an alloying constituent in nickel-based superalloys, but its usefulness as a base alloy is limited due to how difficult it is to traditionally process. For example, forming rhenium into complex geometries is costly because of its high melting temperature, and it’s also very difficult to machine as it undergoes extensive work hardening.
通过专门针对金属的3D打印过程，工业3D打印机用户将能够绕过这些限制，并用rhenium作为基础材料制造复杂的组件。此外，使用添加剂制造可以实现几何特征，而使用诸如粉雷电竞充值末冶金和电气加工等传统过程来制造很棘手。
Ultimately, the DARPA project aims to cement rhenium as a viable additive manufacturing metal, allowing the material to be utilized for a variety of high-temperature propulsion and hypersonics applications.
If Elementum is successful in developing a rhenium printing process, an additional “option period” contract may also be executed by DARPA. This contract would involve the 3D printing and testing of end-use aerospace components in a bid to promote the commercial adoption of rhenium in the additive manufacturing sector.
尽管3D打印的rhenium尚未在航空航天中广泛使用，但总体上是金属添加剂制造。雷电竞充值就在上个月，推出车辆制造商发射器成功完成了其最新的热火测试3D printed E-2 liquid rocket engine在NASA Stennis Space Center。该公司的火箭发动机第一次获得了标称的推力，压力和氧化剂/燃料混合物的评分，据报道，在40秒钟的测试射击后处于“完美状态”。
在其他地方，推进系统制造商Aerojet Rocketdyne最近从太空发射公司获得了最大的RL10合同United Launch Alliance(ULA). As part of the deal, Aerojet Rocketdyne will deliver其部分3D打印的RL10C-X发动机的116to ULA for use in the latter’s new heavy-lift Vulcan Centaur rockets. ULA will use its new 3D printed engines to support the launch of e-commerce giant Amazon’s upcoming Kuiper satellite constellation.
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Featured image shows samples of rhenium. Photo via Alchemist-hp.
