The GRX-810 alloy has been developed using modeling techniques combined with 3D printing, capable of withstanding temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius.
NASA has developed a new alloy for use in aerospace and space exploration, which is 1,000 times stronger than the most modern alloys currently available, Interesting Engineering reported on April 20.
3D printed turbine engine combustor using GRX-810 alloy at NASA’s Glenn Research Center. (Image: NASA)
This space agency is constantly searching for materials that can withstand the harsh conditions of launch and the extreme cold of outer space. The new material, named GRX-810, is a type of oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloy that can endure extremely harsh conditions before reaching its breaking point.
The GRX-810 alloy can be utilized in rocket nozzles and even in fission or fusion reactors, and moreover, it may usher in a rapid advancement era in material science.
GRX-810 is primarily composed of nickel, cobalt, and chromium, but combined with nano-sized metallic ceramic particles known as yttrium, it creates an “oxide dispersion strengthened” (ODS) alloy.
During the research and manufacturing process, NASA employed material modeling techniques to identify which metal combinations would yield the optimal results. Previously, experts often used a “trial and error” approach to discover suitable new materials, which typically took years.
By combining material modeling with 3D printing, NASA can quickly identify the necessary components of the desired alloy and produce it in a short timeframe. The modeling process allows NASA to determine the ideal alloy composition after approximately 30 simulations.
“What used to take years with trial and error now takes just a few weeks or months to find out,” said Dale Hopkins, Deputy Project Manager for NASA’s Transformative Tools and Technologies.
The new alloy can withstand temperatures up to 1,093 degrees Celsius. At this temperature, its fracture resistance doubles, ductility and malleability increase by 3.5 times, and its strength under high-temperature pressure increases by 1,000 times compared to current alloys.
“Previously, increasing tensile strength (the ability to withstand stretching without breaking) often reduced elongation and bending capabilities. That’s why our new alloy is so remarkable,” Hopkins added. According to NASA, the flexibility of the new material will lead to significant performance improvements.
Moreover, the use of 3D printing technology also helps save time and costs compared to traditional processes. “This is a revolutionary breakthrough in material development. New materials that are both strong and lightweight play a crucial role as NASA aims to transform future flights,” Hopkins stated.
GRX-810 promises a new era in material science. (Image: NASA).
The next step for NASA is to continue researching the manufacturing process of GRX-810 and explore ways to scale up and enhance its resilience under extreme temperatures and pressures to implement it in space travel as soon as possible.
In just a few years, the United States will “unveil” a space rocket using nuclear thermal engines. Currently, the tech giant Lockheed Martin has secured a $500 million contract from NASA and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop a rocket engine utilizing a nuclear fission reactor instead of chemical combustion to generate thrust.
When used in space, nuclear thermal rockets can be significantly more efficient than chemical rockets and can power faster journeys to Mars and beyond.
