Al 3103 powder

Overview of Al 3103 Powder

Al 3103 is a non-heat treatable wrought aluminum alloy known for its excellent corrosion resistance, good formability and weldability. Manganese additions improve strength through solid solution strengthening while maintaining excellent ductility.

Key characteristics of Al 3103 powder include:

• Moderate strength with high ductility and toughness
• Excellent weldability and formability
• Very good corrosion resistance
• High thermal and electrical conductivity
• Low density
• Available in various particle size distributions

Al 3103 powder is suitable for applications like chemical tanks, food processing equipment, heat exchangers, road tankers, utensils etc. needing moderate strength combined with excellent corrosion resistance.

Chemical Composition of Al 3103 Powder

The typical chemical composition of Al 3103 powder is:

Manganese is the principal alloying element in 3103 aluminum. Iron, silicon, copper, and zinc are present as impurity elements with specific limits.

Properties of Al 3103 Powder

Key properties of Al 3103 powder include:

The alloy offers moderate strength with excellent ductility, toughness and formability. It has very good resistance to atmospheric and marine environments.

Production Method for Al 3103 Powder

Common production methods for Al 3103 powder include:

• Gas Atomization – Molten alloy stream disintegrated by inert gas jets into fine spherical powder with controlled size distribution.
• Water Atomization – High velocity water jet used to produce fine irregular Al 3103 particles. More economical but higher oxygen content.
• Mechanical Alloying – Ball milling of aluminum and manganese powders followed by cold compaction and sintering.

Gas atomization provides the best control over powder characteristics like particle size, shape and microstructure.

Applications of Al 3103 Powder

Typical applications of Al 3103 powder include:

• Additive Manufacturing – Suitable for binder jetting and selective laser melting processes to produce complex aluminum parts.
• Powder Metallurgy – Press and sinter process to create parts with good mechanical properties and machinability.
• Metal Injection Molding – To manufacture small intricate components needing moderate strength and corrosion resistance.
• Thermal Spraying – Wire arc spraying to produce protective coatings with moderate wear and corrosion resistance.
• Welding Filler – Used as filler wire providing weld strength similar to base metal.
• Pigments – Added to paints and coatings to provide shine and corrosion protection.

Specifications of Al 3103 Powder

Al 3103 powder is available under different size ranges, shapes, purity levels and grades:

• Particle Size: From 10-150 microns for AM methods, up to 300 microns for thermal spray processes.
• Morphology: Spherical, granular, dendritic and irregular shaped particles. Smooth powder flows better.
• Purity: From commercial to high purity (99.8%) grades tailored for application.
• Grades: Conforming to ASTM B209, EN 573, ISO specifications. Custom grades offered.
• Flowability: Excellent powder flow rates above 25 s/50g can be customized.

Global Suppliers of Al 3103 Powder

Some of the major global suppliers are:

• Valimet Inc. (USA)
• Makin Metal Powders (UK)
• Micron Metals (USA)
• Shanghai Chaowei Nanotechnology (China)
• Shandong Yamei Nanotechnology (China)
• CNPC Powder Group (China)
• Titanium Powder (Russia)

These companies produce Al 3103 powder suitable for AM, MIM, thermal spray, automotive, marine and other applications using various methods.

Al 3103 Powder Pricing

Pricing of Al 3103 powder depends on several factors:

• Purity levels
• Powder characteristics
• Production method
• Order volume
• Supplier and location

High purity, spherical and controlled particle size powders command higher pricing over regular commercial grades of Al 3103 powder.

Storage and Handling of Al 3103 Powder

Al 3103 powder should be properly handled and stored to prevent:

• Oxidation and reaction with moisture
• Dust explosion hazards from fine powder
• Inhalation related health issues
• Safety practices from supplier SDS should be followed

Inert gas blanketing, proper grounding, ventilation, and PPE is recommended when handling the powder.

Testing and Characterization Methods

Key test methods used for Al 3103 powder include:

• Chemical analysis using OES or XRF for composition
• Particle size distribution as per ASTM B822 standard
• Morphology analysis through SEM
• Powder flow rate measured by Hall flow funnel
• Density determination by helium pycnometry
• Impurity testing by ICP-MS
• Microstructure examination by X-ray diffraction

These tests ensure batch consistency and compliance with specifications.

Comparison Between Al 3103 and Al 3003 Powders

Al 3103 and Al 3003 are two aluminum alloy powders compared:

Al 3103 offers better formability whereas Al 3003 provides marginally higher strength. Both offer excellent corrosion resistance.

Al 3103 Powder FAQs

Q: How is Al 3103 powder produced?

A: Al 3103 powder is commercially produced using gas atomization, water atomization, and mechanical alloying followed by sintering. Gas atomization provides the best control of particle characteristics.

Q: What are the main applications of Al 3103 powder?

A: The major applications of Al 3103 powder include additive manufacturing, metal injection molding, thermal spray coatings, powder metallurgy parts, pigments, and welding filler wire.

Q: What is the typical Al 3103 powder size used for selective laser melting?

A: For SLM process, the ideal Al 3103 powder size range is 20-45 microns with spherical morphology to enable good powder bed density and melt pool formation.

Q: Does Al 3103 powder require any special handling precautions?

A: Yes, it is recommended to handle aluminum powders carefully under inert atmosphere using proper grounding, ventilation and PPE to prevent fire or explosion hazards.

Q: Where can I buy Al 3103 powder suitable for marine applications?

A: Al 3103 powder with high corrosion resistance tailored for marine environments can be purchased from leading manufacturers like Valimet, Makin Metal Powders, and Micron Metals.