Metalysis, a UK-based manufacturer of critical metal and metal alloy powders, has secured nearly €1 million to develop a continuous or quasi-continuous sustainable process for titanium production using its patented Metalysis FFC Process.
The funding comes a European Space Agency (ESA) funded programme and will support a consortium, led by Metalysis, in a 24-month project to scale the FFC process to support sustainable bulk titanium production. The consortium also includes UK companies Lucideon Ltd, TTP Plc, NCHG Ltd, and Austrian RHP-Technology GmbH.
Metalysis produces metal powders for use in industries such as aerospace and space, advanced electronics, defence, and clean energy. Its FFC solid-state electrolysis process can reduce metal oxides from 49 elements of the periodic table to create valuable metal, metal alloy and high entropy alloy powders. The company has been working with the ESA since 2019 to extract oxygen from lunar regolith - most recently engaging in a project to turn lunar soil into inks and powder for 3D printing - and is now the chosen technology for all of its oxygen extraction projects.
Titanium and its alloys well suited to space and aerospace applications due to its high strength-to-weight ratio, corrosion-resistance and performance at extreme temperatures. Currently, China supplies around 70% of Western aerospace titanium sponge. This project aims to support the development of a secure Western supply chain and a sustainable path for critical materials sourcing.
Matthew Cook, Head of Space Exploration at the UK Space Agency, said: “Titanium is essential for space exploration and satellite manufacturing, and establishing a secure, environmentally responsible supply chain is vital for the long-term competitiveness of our space sector. It’s great to see British expertise leading the way in transforming how we produce the materials that will enable the next generation of space technology.”
The Kroll process is the primary industrial method for producing titanium. However, it's a multi-step process based on melting and thermomechanical processing, which can be expensive and very energy intensive. It also uses chlorine gas and produces large amounts of hazardous waste. In comparison, Metalysis says its FCC process offers several advantages, including reducing environmental footprint by minimising hazardous by-products, and doing away with the multiple melting stages by enabling the direct production of titanium alloys in the solid-state. Molten salt electrolysis also claims to produce titanium with higher purity and lower energy consumption compared to the Kroll process.
Nitesh Shah, CEO Metalysis said: “The near €1 million from ESA to our consortia, led by Metalysis, is further endorsement in our technology and reflects the strategic need across the space, as well as aerospace, defence, hypersonics and wider advanced manufacturing sectors for industrial outputs of critical metals – in this case titanium. Scaling-up our technology to continuous or semi-continuous production will help drive the western supply of sustainable titanium – as the Metalysis FFC process is leaner, greener and cleaner than traditional titanium manufacturing processes.”
So, what does this development mean for additive manufacturing (AM)? Metalysis' process can be used to produce powders for use in AM through its GEN-3 and GEN-4 reactors. However, in a press release, the company explained that current volumes are insufficient for the wider bulk titanium market.
Dr Ian Mellor, Managing Director at Metalysis, told TCT, “Metalysis’ focus on titanium and its alloys draws upon our heritage – our patented FFC technology was originally developed at the University of Cambridge – as a more efficient and, energy saving process for titanium production – before being applied to other elements of the periodic table. The ability to scale production, in conjunction with employing appropriate powder metallurgy or additive manufacturing techniques, allows larger parts to be targeted, typically associated with more traditional fabrication routes.”
