Nasa scientists have invented a new metal alloy that is 1,000 times more durable than current state-of-the-art materials used in aviation and space exploration.<\/p>\n
The US space agency believes that Alloy GRX-810 could revolutionise space travel, as it can withstand far harsher conditions than existing materials used within rocket engines.<\/p>\n
The material has twice the strength, three-and-a-half times the flexibility and more than 1,000 times the durability under stress at high temperatures.<\/p>\n
This breakthrough is revolutionary for materials development, said Dale Hopkins, deputy project manager of Nasas Transformational Tools and Technologies project<\/p>\n
New types of stronger and more lightweight materials play a key role as Nasa aims to change the future of flight. Previously, an increase in tensile strength usually lowered a materials ability to stretch and bend before breaking, which is why our new alloy is remarkable.<\/p>\n
The new alloys composition was determined using computational models, before 3D printing technology allowed Nasa engineers to create a turbine engine combustor a vital component found in rocket engines that serves as a fuel-air mixer.<\/p>\n
Applying these two processes has drastically accelerated the rate of our materials development. We can now produce new materials faster and with better performance than before, said Tim Smith, a material research scientist at Nasas Glenn Research Center in Cleveland and one of the inventors of this new alloy.<\/p>\n
What used to take years through a trial-and-error process, now takes a matter of weeks or months to make discoveries.<\/p>\n
The manufacturing process is also more efficient, cost effective and cleaner than conventional methods.<\/p>\n
Nasa said the alloy would result in vast performance improvements and would have major implications for the future of sustainable flight.<\/p>\n
In a press release detailing the discovery, the space agency said: Designers can now contemplate tradeoffs they couldnt consider before, without sacrificing performance.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Follow this link:<\/p>\n
Nasa invents revolutionary material 1,000 times better than state-of-the art spaceship alloys - The Independent<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Nasa scientists have invented a new metal alloy that is 1,000 times more durable than current state-of-the-art materials used in aviation and space exploration. The US space agency believes that Alloy GRX-810 could revolutionise space travel, as it can withstand far harsher conditions than existing materials used within rocket engines. The material has twice the strength, three-and-a-half times the flexibility and more than 1,000 times the durability under stress at high temperatures. Continue reading