Upcycling AlSi10Mg Scrap Metal From Multi-material Joints Through Atomization And Generation Of Aerospace-grade Metal Powders

Sustainable disassembly and recovery of end-of-life metal-composite components is a key focus in aviation. Specifically, efficient recycling of metals is hampered by impurity content, which potentially leads to deleterious downgrading of alloys.Recycling of a novel multi-material hybrid joining system for aerospace applications, designed within the EU-funded MIMOSA project, is addressed.The proposed strategy involves mechanical separation of the metal (AlSi10Mg) and composite (CFRP) materials through a multi-stage process. While the CFRP follows a dedicated recycling line, AlSi10Mg is upcycled via atomization to generate sustainable powder feedstock for Additive Manufacturing (AM).Particle size distribution, morphology, chemical composition, tap, and apparent density are evaluated for AlSi10Mg powders from lab-scale atomization. The results confirm the compliance of powder properties with Aerospace standards.Overall, the proposed strategy supports the implementation of a circular model to close the loop on multi-material joints, integrating AM production and recycling of the metal parts of the joints.