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TECHNOLOGY LICENSING OPPORTUNITY: AddiSteel HT
Contact and place of performance
Satya Srinivasan
Los Alamos, NM 87545
USA
Additively Manufactured Ferritic Steel with Enhanced High-Temperature Performance Grade 91 steel is one of the most widely used structural metals in power plants and candidate for advanced nuclear reactors, but it loses much of its strength when operating temperatures climb above 500°C. Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory solved that problem by 3D-printing Grade 91 steel using a powder bed fusion proces...
View moreHow it Works
A laser selectively melts thin layers of steel powder, one on top of another, to build a solid part from the ground up. LANL’s innovation lies in a proprietary combination of laser power, scanning speed and layer orientation that produces an unusually fine and complex grain structure with a combination of ductile and strong grains during printing. The steels thermal history during the build process creates the microstructure distribution of around 80 % by volume Bainitic grains with a uniform distribution of second phase particles and dislocations, surrounded by 20 % by volume Martensitic grains. This is fundamentally different from what conventional casting or forging can achieve. Each new layer also partially heat-treats the layer beneath it, so the finished part may need little or no additional processing before use.
Technical Description
Conventional Grade 91 steel relies on a tempered martensite structure that loses strength significantly at high temperatures. The additive process instead produces a layered architecture containing multiple distinct microstructural zones within each laser pass, including regions with extremely fine grains, regions rich in strengthening precipitates and small pockets of martensite at the boundaries between passes. Working together, these features resist deformation at elevated temperatures far more effectively than the uniform microstructure of wrought steel.
Testing confirms the advantage across the board. At 600°C, the printed steel reaches a yield strength of 650 MPa versus 350 MPa for the wrought version. Even after being held at 650°C for 1000 hours — a test simulating long-term service — the printed material retains 650 MPa of yield strength at room temperature. The patent covers process parameters for both Grade 91 and Grade 92 steel compositions, broadening the range of potential applications.
Advantages
Market Applications
TRL 5
U.S. Patent No. 11,471,946
LA-UR-26-23628
LANL Tech Partnerships: Unlock the Innovative Potential
Los Alamos National Laboratory offers a wide range of cutting-edge technologies and capabilities that may provide your company with a competitive edge in the market and unlock the innovative potential that can enhance, refine, and revolutionize your products.
LANL’s licensing program focuses on moving inventions developed by our researchers to commercial innovations. Patented and patent pending inventions and copyrighted software are available to existing and start-up companies through exclusive and non-exclusive licensing agreements. For specific discussions, please contact [email protected].
Note: This is not a call for external services for the development of this technology.
https://www.lanl.gov/engage/collaboration/feynman-center/partner-with-us/licensing-technology
m.lanl.gov/tech-search
The Department of Energy, through Triad National Security, LLC at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), is offering a technology licensing opportunity for AddiSteel HT, an additively manufactured ferritic steel designed for enhanced high-temperature performance. This innovation utilizes a powder bed fusion 3D-printing process with specific laser settings to create a unique microstructure in Grade 91 and Grade 92 steel that remains stable and strong at temperatures exceeding 500°C. Protected by U.S. Patent No. 11,471,946, the technology enables the production of complex components that are up to 85% stronger at 600°C than conventionally manufactured counterparts while maintaining ductility. The material serves as a potential lower-cost alternative to nickel-based superalloys in nuclear energy, power generation, automotive, and aerospace applications.
The manufacturing method involves a proprietary combination of laser power, scanning speed, and layer orientation that produces a fine grain structure consisting of approximately 80% bainitic grains and 20% martensitic grains. This layered architecture resists deformation more effectively than the uniform microstructure of wrought steel, with testing confirming a yield strength of 650 MPa at 600°C compared to 350 MPa for traditional versions. The process utilizes commercially available powders and standard industrial 3D printers, allowing for the creation of intricate geometries with reduced machining waste. This technology is currently at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5 and is available for commercialization through exclusive or non-exclusive licensing agreements.
This special notice, identified by solicitation number S-133632, falls under NAICS 332117 for Powder Metallurgy Part Manufacturing and PSC AG13 for Energy R&D Services; Energy Supply; Experimental Development. There is no set-aside designated for this opportunity. Responses are due by June 5, 2026. The primary point of contact for this notice is Satya Srinivasan, and the place of performance is Los Alamos, New Mexico. At the time of publication, there are zero attachments associated with this notice.
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