VALIMET provides standard and custom Spherical Aluminum Alloy Powders tailored for a wide range of End Users. See below the key Industries they belong to.
Aerospace
VALIMET’s spherical Aluminum powders are being used by major Aerospace companies for many strategic and tactical programs, as well as commercial launch vehicles. We continue to collaborate on propellant development for new programs. Our powders are used in Additive Manufacturing components for Satellites.
Aeronautics
Our alloyed powders are used in Cold and Thermal Spray processes. Aluminum-Silicon powders are used for the coating of several Engine and Aircrafts components. Coating and repairs make extensive use of Aluminum Alloys, especially the 2000, the 6000 and the 7000 series.
Defense
VALIMET Aluminum powders are certified to many military specifications. We serve both Energetic applications and Cold Spray processes for repair and components manufacturing. For decades, we have supplied solutions for Decoy Flares manufacturing: their use spans from Firefighters’ landscape management to Helicopters and Fighter Jets.
Electronics
Aluminum powders support the booming of Artificial Intelligence processors and their need for thermal management. Thanks to its low density and high thermal, electrical conductivity, Aluminum based powders are typical additives for Interface Materials and Conductive Pastes for chips and AI chiplets.
Also, Aluminum-based pastes are known to be used in Solar Cells manufacturing. They were traditionally used in the PERC (passivated Emitter and Rear Cell), also back-contact structures of TOPCon (Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact) benefit from Aluminum or Aluminum pastes.
Industrial Materials
Steel Industry: Refractories & Flow Control castables
VALIMET has supplied the Refractory Materials Industry for years. Our pure Aluminum works as metallic fuel and reducing agent in exothermic reactions that enhance the performance of refractory products.
Aluminum-Silicon alloys are added to low-cement or no-cement castables to improve sintering behavior, provide self-flow characteristics, enhance oxidation resistance, lower melting point locally to form sintering bridges. Al-Si alloys may be used in coatings or impregnated into slide gates, nozzles, and ladle shrouds to reduce molten steel infiltration, enhance corrosion resistance, improve non-wettability. In Steelmaking, Aluminum-Silicon alloys can act as a combined deoxidizer and desulfurizer, modifying the slag structure.
Building Industry: Concrete, Cement and Mortars
Autoclave Aerated Concrete (AAC) and Cellular concrete exploit Aluminun’s reaction with the alkaline components of concrete producing Hydrogen gas. The result is lightweight, insulating concrete blocks, used for partition walls, soundproof panels, energy-efficient building envelopes.
Aluminum powder is also used to create controlled permeability in specialty cementitious castables. Controlled gas evolution by Aluminum powder addition, is also used in expansive grouts and non-shrink repair mortars.
Aluminum powder-based Thermite and in general Energetic Materials are used in the context of Specialty Energetic Cements (radiation shielding, impact resistance etc.), Demolition & Maintenance of Buildings.
Motorsports
VALIMET’s spherical Aluminum powder support some of the newest processes like Additive Manufacturing for high performance sports cars and racing vehicles.
As an example, for the last ten years Formula 1 has been growing in consumption of metal powders for AM components, allowed by the FIA Formula 1 Regulations. VALIMET Aluminum Alloy powders can be used for cooling ducts, mounting brackets, Conformal fluid channels in hydraulic systems, heat exchangers, engine components.