Gas Atomization Techniques for Metal Powder Production

Gas atomization encompasses a family of processes in which a stream of molten metal is disintegrated into fine droplets by a high-velocity inert gas, typically nitrogen or argon. The methodology involves an initial primary breakup, where the liquid jet is destabilised by gas shear, followed by secondary fragmentation as droplets interact further with the gas flow. Control of nozzle geometry, gas-to-metal mass ratio and operating pressure permits tuning of particle size distribution, sphericity and surface oxidation. Rapid solidification rates in the 10⁴–10⁶ K/s range impart refined microstructures and limited segregation, essential for powder-bed fusion and metal injection moulding. Variants such as plasma atomization and rotating electrode processes extend the technique to reactive alloys and ultra-clean powders, while emerging data-driven and computational fluid dynamic models offer routes to multi-objective optimisation of yield, energy consumption and powder quality. The global importance of gas atomization lies in its scalability, versatility across alloy systems and central role in additive manufacturing supply chains.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have elucidated the mechanisms governing powder formation in plasma rotating electrode and rotating electrode processes. Investigations into granular behaviour during plasma-induced centrifugal atomization have revealed how modulation of arc current and gas blast parameters influences molten metal depression and droplet detachment, enabling finer size control without sacrificing sphericity. Complementary work on nickel-titanium alloys demonstrated that electrode speed and plasma conditions can produce spherical powders with high biocompatibility, minimal internal porosity and stable composition, highlighting the potential for medical-grade applications.

Gas Atomization Techniques for Metal Powder Production publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in gas atomization techniques for metal powder production across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Primary atomisation: Initial breakup of a molten metal jet into ligaments and coarse droplets under high-velocity gas shear.

Secondary atomisation: Further fragmentation of primary droplets into finer particles through continued gas-liquid interactions.

Gas-to-metal mass ratio (GMR): The proportion of atomizing gas mass to metal feed mass, governing droplet size and cooling rate.

Volume of fluid (VOF) method: A computational technique for tracking the interface between liquid metal and gas phases in simulations.

Discrete phase model (DPM): A numerical approach that treats particles as discrete entities within a continuous gas flow field.

Sphericity: A measure of how closely a particle’s shape approximates a perfect sphere, affecting flowability and packing density.

References

1. State-enhanced attention network for optimisation of energy and yield in gas atomised metal powder production. Sustainable Chemistry and Pharmacy (2025).
2. Metal Powder Atomisation Methods for Modern Manufacturing. Johnson Matthey Technology Review (2019).
3. Review on Plasma Atomizer Technology for Metal Powder. MATEC Web of Conferences (2019).
4. Numerical Simulations of Molten Breakup Behaviors of a de Laval-Type Nozzle, and the Effects of Atomization Parameters on Particle Size Distribution. Processes (2020).
5. On the Cooling Rate-Microstructure Relationship in Molten Metal Gas Atomization. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A (2021).
6. Nitinol powders generate from Plasma Rotation Electrode Process provide clean powder for biomedical devices used with suitable size, spheroid surface and pure composition. Scientific Reports (2018).
7. Centrifugal granulation behavior in metallic powder fabrication by plasma rotating electrode process. Scientific Reports (2020).
8. A numerical modeling framework for predicting the effects of operational parameters on particle size distribution in the gas atomization process for Nickel-Silicon alloys. Powder Technology (2024).
9. Performance Testing and Rapid Solidification Behavior of Stainless Steel Powders Prepared by Gas Atomization. Materials (2021).