With T70X, the Chinese company VMP has developed a new titanium alloy powder that has been specifically designed for applications in high-temperature-resistant metal 3D printing. The material addresses a key weakness of existing titanium alloys such as TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V) and TA15, whose mechanical properties decrease significantly at temperatures above 500 °C. T70X has been optimized for use in selective laser melting (LPBF) and is particularly suitable for large-format components in aerospace technology.
The alloy is based on a near-alpha microstructure that improves both high-temperature strength and crack resistance through targeted element combinations. The powder is produced using the EIGA process (Electrode Induction Gas Atomization), which enables high purity and low oxygen absorption through contact-free melting. The resulting fine and spherical grain structure ensures uniform powder distribution and improves process stability during 3D printing.
Initial LPBF tests with T70X show that no cracking or deformation occurs even with wall thicknesses of less than one millimeter. In terms of mechanical properties, the material achieves a tensile strength of around 1000 MPa at room temperature with high ductility. However, the behavior at elevated temperatures is particularly noteworthy: even at 600 °C, the yield strength remains stable above 600 MPa – a range in which many established alloys already show significant losses.
VMP sees T70X as a solution for structural components in high-temperature environments such as turbine disks, combustion chambers or thermally stressed support structures. The alloy’s good heat treatment properties and compatibility with LPBF and potentially also EBM processes make it particularly attractive for additive manufacturing. Further applications in energy, motorsport and special machine construction are conceivable, provided that powder recovery and series production can be scaled up economically.
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