3D　printing　has　attracted　increasing　interests　in　the　field　of　metallic　materials　as　it　can　effectively　shorten　the　production　cycle　and　create　parts　with　complex　shapes,　which　can　hardly　be　produced　by　traditional　methods.　However,　the　gas　atomization,　as　the　mainstream　method　of　preparing　metal　and　alloy　powders　to　meet　the　requirements　of　the　processing　of　selective　laser　melting　(SLM)　at　present,　still　has　some　limitations,　such　as　hollow　and/or　satellite　balls　in　the　powder.　This　influences　directly　the　density　and　performance　of　the　printing　parts.　Moreover,　the　laser　absorption　in　the　smooth　surface　of　powder　particle　is　generally　less　than　10%　in　the　laser　processing,　which　hinders　rapid　heating　of　the　powder.　It　has　been　found　that　the　material　can　obtain　multiple　absorption　of　laser　energy　by　increasing　the　surface　roughness　of　powder　particles,　which　can　effectively　improve　the　laser　absorption　rate　and　is　beneficial　to　get　the　dense　printing　parts.　Based　on　this,　a　novel　method　combining　low　temperature　spray-drying　with　heat　treatment　was　developed　to　prepare　Ni　powder　with　high　purity,　good　sphericity,　high　flowability　and　narrow　particle　size　distribution.　The　microstructure　and　laser　absorptivity　of　the　prepared　Ni　powder　were　compared　with　those　of　the　commercial　Ni　powder　prepared　by　gas　atomization,　and　their　influences　on　the　microstructure　and　properties　of　the　3D　printed　bulk　materials　were　investigated.　It　is　found　that　the　laser　absorptivity　of　the　Ni　powder　prepared　by　spray-drying　is　more　than　2　times　as　high　as　that　of　the　commercial　Ni　powder.　This　leads　to　a　wider　melting　channel,　smaller　surface　ten-sion　and　liquid-bridging　force　between　particles　in　the　printing　process.　As　a　result,　the　spheroidization　phenomenon　occurred　on　the　surface　of　the　printed　bulk　material　can　be　avoided　by　the　use　of　the　spraydried　powder,　and　the　relative　density　is　achieved　as　99.2%　at　the　as-printed　state.　In　the　microstructure　of　the　printed　bulk　material,　in　addition　to　the　cellular　crystals,　there　are　a　number　of　fine　columnar　crystals,　grown　across　the　interlaminar　boundaries,　which　is　favorable　for　a　high　bonding　strength　between　the　interlayers.