Powder technology of metal materials non-ferrous metal powders

Abstract

Metal powders are manufactured by the various methods, and in their properties such as particle shape, particle size, purity etc., there are large differences caused by the manufacturing methods. In this article the latest technical trends in addition to the manufacturing methods, the properties and the applications of non-ferrous metal powders are described. Especially in the field of copper-base metal powders, in place of the conventional Cu-Sn, or Cu-Zn system powder, new metal powder such as Cu-Al, or Cu-Ni-Sn system which has high performances of high strength and high corrosion resistance has been developed and put on the market. And with the progress of new metal forming technologies such as additive manufacturing (A.M), the new copper-base metal powder such as Cu-Cr or Cu-Zr system which has not been applied in the conventional powder metallurgy processes has been newly developed. In future, with the progress of the metal powder manufacturing technologies in cooperation with that of new metal forming technologies, the new markets in the field of powder metallurgy will be cultivated.