ORNL researchers used Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion to produce crack-free molybdenum, proving its viability for Additive Manufacturing. (Courtesy of ORNL/US Dept of Energy)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, proved molybdenum titanium carbide, a refractory metal alloy that can withstand extreme temperature environments, can also be crack free and dense when produced with electron beam powder bed fusion. Molybdenum (Mo) and other refractory alloys are difficult to process through traditional manufacturing because of their high melting temperature, reactivity with oxygen and brittleness.