As the world looks for ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions, researchers from Sandia National Laboratories have shown that a new 3D-printed superalloy could help power plants generate more electricity while producing less carbon. Sandia scientists, collaborating with researchers at Ames National Laboratory, Iowa State University and Bruker Corp, used a 3D printer to create a high-performance metal alloy with an unusual composition that makes it stronger and lighter than state-of-the-art materials currently used in gas turbine machinery. The findings could have broad impacts across the energy sector as well as the aerospace and automotive industries, and hints at a new class of similar alloys waiting to be discovered. The team has published their findings in the journal Applied Materials. Sandia scientist Dr Andrew Kustas said “We’re showing that this material can access previously unobtainable combinations of high strength, low weight and high-temperature resiliency. We think part of the reason we achieved this is because of the additive manufacturing approach.” Sandia’s experiments showed that the new superalloy of 42% aluminum, 25% titanium, 13% niobium, 8% zirconium, 8% molybdenum and 4% tantalum was stronger at 800 degrees Celsius than many other high-performance alloys, including those currently used in turbine parts, and still stronger when it was brought back down to room temperature. This new research demonstrates how the technology also can be repurposed as a fast, efficient way to craft new materials. Sandia team members used a 3D printer to quickly melt together powdered metals and then immediately prints a sample of it. Sandia’s creation also represents a fundamental shift in alloy development because no single metal makes up more than half the material. Moving forward, the team is interested in exploring whether advanced computer modeling techniques could help researchers discover more members of what could be a new class of high-performance, additive manufacturing-forward superalloys. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, for the U. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
As the world looks for ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions, researchers from Sandia National Laboratories have shown that a new 3D-printed superalloy could help power plants generate more electricity while producing less carbon. Sandia scientists, collaborating with researchers at Ames National Laboratory, Iowa State University and Bruker Corp, used a 3D printer to create a high-performance metal alloy with an unusual composition that makes it stronger and lighter than state-of-the-art materials currently used in gas turbine machinery. The findings could have broad impacts across the energy sector as well as the aerospace and automotive industries, and hints at a new class of similar alloys waiting to be discovered. The team has published their findings in the journal Applied Materials. Sandia scientist Dr Andrew Kustas said “We’re showing that this material can access previously unobtainable combinations of high strength, low weight and high-temperature resiliency. We think part of the reason we achieved this is because of the additive manufacturing approach.” Sandia’s experiments showed that the new superalloy of 42% aluminum, 25% titanium, 13% niobium, 8% zirconium, 8% molybdenum and 4% tantalum was stronger at 800 degrees Celsius than many other high-performance alloys, including those currently used in turbine parts, and still stronger when it was brought back down to room temperature. This new research demonstrates how the technology also can be repurposed as a fast, efficient way to craft new materials. Sandia team members used a 3D printer to quickly melt together powdered metals and then immediately prints a sample of it. Sandia’s creation also represents a fundamental shift in alloy development because no single metal makes up more than half the material. Moving forward, the team is interested in exploring whether advanced computer modeling techniques could help researchers discover more members of what could be a new class of high-performance, additive manufacturing-forward superalloys. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-mission laboratory operated by National Technology and Engineering Solutions of Sandia, a wholly owned subsidiary of Honeywell International, for the U. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.
