3D-printed alloy conserves nickel while maintaining stainless steel strength

More than 70% of the world’s supply of nickel is used to make stainless steel, a cost-effective, strong, corrosion resistant alloy widely used for construction, transportation, development of medical devices and more. However, fluctuations in global nickel supply over the past two decades have posed significant challenges to maintaining stable production, according to a team of researchers at Tohoku University and Tsinghua University.