Taniobis and Alloyed receive 2023 Gustaf Ekeberg Award for tantalum research
The authors of ‘Tailored Niobium-Based Alloys for Additive Manufacturing: From Powder Production to Parameter Optimization’, jointly published by Taniobis GmbH, a subsidiary of JX Metals Corporation, headquartered in Goslar, Germany, and Alloyed Ltd, based in Oxford, UK, have been honored with the Gustaf Ekeberg Award.
The Ekeberg Award – named after the discoverer of tantalum, Anders Gustaf Ekeberg – is given to individuals or research teams who have made notable contributions to the processing, properties, and applications of tantalum. This prestigious award, presented by the TIC (Tantalum-Niobium International Study Centre), aims to promote awareness of the exceptional properties and potential applications of tantalum. The award ceremony was held on September 11 during the 64th General Assembly of the TIC in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The research conducted by Taniobis and Alloyed focuses on the development of customised tantalum- and niobium-based alloy powders for Additive Manufacturing. Alloys like AMtrinsic® C103 and AMtrinsic FS-85 are said to be particularly intriguing due to their relatively low density, good thermal conductivity, and impressive temperature and time-dependent mechanical properties. These properties are especially valuable when Ni- and Co-based superalloys face limitations at temperatures above approximately 1050°C.
While C103 is widely used in traditional manufacturing methods, the alloy FS-85, which contains tantalum, offers superior high-temperature performance and creep resistance at elevated temperatures. However, producing parts using conventional processing methods like casting and machining has always been challenging. The development of commercially available FS-85 alloy powders for Additive Manufacturing has opened up opportunities for new, high-value applications involving complex-shaped, high-performance components. To successfully develop such powders, it is necessary to understand the workflow from powder production and characterisation to determining the optimal process parameters. In the awarded paper, Taniobis and Alloyed provide a detailed account of the process of preparing, characterising, and processing two alloy powders – C103 and FS85 – using metal AM.
“We thank Alloyed for the outstanding collaboration, now being recognised with this award. Taniobis GmbH is proud of this achievement and sincerely thanks TIC for recognising our commitment to advancing tantalum research and innovation. The collaboration with Alloyed opens new possibilities for high-performance and high-temperature applications in Additive Manufacturing technology, benefiting numerous industries,” stated Kazuhiko Iida, CEO, Taniobis.
