New superalloy can endure temperatures over 2,000°F; could lead to stronger, more durable spacecraft parts

Innovators from NASA and The Ohio State University recently developed a new alloy that can endure temperatures over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit compared to current superalloys that can withstand temperatures up to 2,000°F.

"This superalloy has the potential to dramatically improve the strength and toughness of components and parts used in aviation and space exploration," said Dr Tim Smith of NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, lead author of the Nature paper. Smith and his Glenn colleague Christopher Kantzos invented GRX-810.

The new alloy, GRX-810, is an oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloy that can survive more than 1,000 times longer and is twice as resistant to oxidation than existing state-of-the-art alloys. The team used thermodynamic modelling and 3D printing to develop the new superalloy.

According to NASA, the new alloy could lead to stronger, more durable parts for airplanes and spacecraft.

"This new alloy is a major achievement. In the very near future, it may well be one of the most successful technology patents NASA Glenn has ever produced," said Dale Hopkins, deputy project manager of NASA's Transformational Tools and Technologies project.

The team has detailed the characteristics of the new superalloy in a peer-reviewed paper published in the journal Nature.

A team of innovators has developed a new superalloy capable of enduring temperatures over 2,000°F... and it's 3D-printed! See how this new material can build stronger, more durable parts for airplanes and spacecraft: https://t.co/Iv2y6mO0Fe pic.twitter.com/p6NUN6mr3G

— NASA 360 (@NASA360) May 7, 2023