Based　on　the　technical　characteristics　of　selective　laser　melting　(SLM),　a　novel　method　combining　low　temperature　spray-drying　with　heat　treatment　was　developed,　and　two　kinds　of　Ni　powders　with　single-peak　and　bimodal　distribution　of　particle　size,　high　purity,　good　sphericity,　high　flowability　were　prepared.　It　is　found　that　the　Ni　powder　with　bimodal　particle　size　distribution　has　higher　specific　surface　area　and　apparent　density,　leading　to　absorb　more　laser　energy　and　higher　thermal　conductivity.　As　a　result,　wider　melting　channels　were　formed　in　the　printing　process　and　the　spheroidization　phenomenon　was　eliminated.　However,　a　small　amount　of　spheroidization　particles　and　micro　cracks　occurred　on　the　surface　of　the　printed　bulk　material　prepared　by　the　Ni　powder　with　single-peak　distribution　of　particle　size,　exhibiting　decreased　hardness　and　modulus　with　the　increasing　indentation　depth　and　poor　mechanical　properties.　The　relative　density　is　achieved　as　99.8%　at　the　printed　bulk　material　prepared　by　the　Ni　powder　with　bimodal　distribution　of　particle　size　and　the　hardness　and　modulus　tend　to　be　a　stable　value　with　increasing　indentation　depth.　In　addition,　its　plasticity　increased　by　30%　than　that　of　the　printed　bulk　material　prepared　by　the　Ni　powder　with　single-peak　distribution　of　particle　size.　©　2020,　Materials　Review　Magazine.　All　right　reserved.