Scientists develop the most heat-resistant material ever created:
A group of scientists from NUST MISIS developed a ceramic material with the highest melting point among currently known compounds. Due to the unique combination of physical, mechanical and thermal properties, the material is promising for use in the most heat-loaded components of aircraft, such as nose fairings, jet engines and sharp front edges of wings operating at temperatures above 2000 degrees C.
[...] During recent developments, the goal of the scientists was to create a material with the highest melting point and high mechanical properties. The triple hafnium-carbon-nitrogen system, hafnium carbonitride (Hf-C-N), was chosen, as scientists from Brown University (U.S.) previously predicted that hafnium carbonitride would have a high thermal conductivity and resistance to oxidation, as well as the highest melting point among all known compounds (approximately 4200 degrees C).
Using the method of self-propagating high-temperature synthesis,the NUSTMISIS scientists obtained HfC0.5N0.35, (hafnium carbonitride) close to the theoretical composition, with a high hardness of 21.3 GPa, which is even higher than in new promising materials, such as ZrB2/SiC (20.9 GPa) and HfB2/SiC/TaSi2 (18.1 GPa).
Journal Reference:
V.S. Buinevicha. A.A. Nepapusheva, D.O. Moskovskikha et al. Fabrication of ultra-high-temperature nonstoichiometric hafnium carbonitride via combustion synthesis and spark plasma sintering, Ceramics International (DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.03.158)
The material is meant for spaceplanes.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Kell on Thursday May 28 2020, @03:19AM (5 children)
How does it compare to the famed starlite?
Scientists ask questions. Engineers solve problems.
(Score: 2) by c0lo on Thursday May 28 2020, @04:37AM
Well, for a first, this one is not a trade secret.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoFiw2jMy-0 https://soylentnews.org/~MichaelDavidCrawford
(Score: 3, Interesting) by slinches on Thursday May 28 2020, @06:27AM (3 children)
Other than the melting point, it would seem that it's almost the opposite. Starlite is known for its low thermal conductivity and is relatively fragile. This new material is a poor insulator and high strength. Still a useful material, just not in the same applications.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 28 2020, @07:23AM
So we'll get the sex robots?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 28 2020, @07:45AM
Put an insulating layer under it and you're golden. Hafnium carbonitride to conduct the heat over a large surface area without melting, insulating layer to block it.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 28 2020, @01:27PM
But it would make an excellent heat sink!