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Nasa has invented Duranium!
https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Duranium
NASA's New Material Built to Withstand Extreme Conditions
NASA innovators recently developed a new metal alloy using a 3D printing process that dramatically improves the strength and durability of the components and parts used in aviation and space exploration, resulting in better and longer-lasting performance.
NASA Alloy GRX-810, an oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloy, can endure temperatures over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, is more malleable, and can survive more than 1,000 times longer than existing state-of-the-art alloys. These new alloys can be used to build aerospace parts for high temperature applications, like those inside aircraft and rocket engines, because ODS alloys can withstand harsher conditions before reaching their breaking point.
[...] . NASA's new alloys deliver enhanced mechanical properties at extreme temperatures. At 2,000° F, GRX-810 shows remarkable performance improvements over current state-of-the-art alloys including:
- Twice the strength to resist fracturing
- Three and a half times the flexibility to stretch/bend prior to fracturing
- More than 1,000 times the durability under stress at high temperatures
"This breakthrough is revolutionary for materials development. New types of stronger and more lightweight materials play a key role as NASA aims to change the future of flight," said Hopkins. "Previously, an increase in tensile strength usually lowered a material's ability to stretch and bend before breaking, which is why our new alloy is remarkable."
I guess Elon has to build a Raptor 3 with it.
(Score: 1) by Billy the Mountain on Wednesday April 27 2022, @08:32PM (2 children)
(With Raptor 3 a close second)
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 27 2022, @11:24PM (1 child)
Turbine discs need to be extremely rigid so they don't hit the stators under load and they can't stretch or they'd hit the case. The combustion chamber and maybe the bell would be candidates for this material since the tolerances aren't as tight. If the material is cheap enough and can also withstand extreme cold then Starship's hull is another candidate. On the other hand 3d printing is straight up Rocket Lab's and Relativity's alley so I expect that they are at least looking at this for their own rockets.
(Score: 2) by Immerman on Friday April 29 2022, @12:18AM
Do we have any idea if this is any stretchier than what they're using now? I believe the stated flexibility mean it can be stretched 3.5x further before breaking, it says nothing about what forces are needed to do that. It might behave the same as the reference material under the same conditions, but can be pushed to much more extreme conditions before breaking.
Because the thing is that *everything* flexes under load - even diamond (not much, but some). And that gets taken into account when designing high-speed precision turbines, etc.: At rest the turbine is actually slightly too small for the case, then it stretches to the perfect size when spinning at normal operating speeds.