Wetting agent for infiltrated aluminum preforms

A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object having a desired shape, comprising the steps of:

• a) forming a mixture that contains a binder, wetting agent, and at least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite having said desired shape by the additive process of laser sintering;
• b) removing said binder from said green composite by a process effective to maintain said desired shape as a porous preform structure;
• c) converting a portion of said aluminum to aluminum nitride by reacting the at least one of aluminum or first aluminum-base alloy with nitrogen to thereby transform said green composite to a continuous rigid aluminium nitride skeleton of said desired shape that supports said porous preform structure;
• and
• d) infiltrating said porous structure with an infiltrant that is a molten second aluminum-base alloy to form said three-dimensional object with a near theoretical density.

A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object, comprising the steps of:

• a) forming a mixture that contains a binder, wetting agent, and at least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite by the additive process of laser sintering;
• b) removing said binder from said green composite forming a porous preform structure;
• c) transforming a portion of the aluminum for first aluminum base alloy into an aluminum nitride compound by reaction with a nitrogen source to form a continuous rigid aluminum nitride skeleton that supports the porous preform structure;
• and
• d) infiltrating said porous preform structure with an infiltrant that is a molten second aluminum base alloy to form said three-dimensional object with near theoretical density.