A UFO in the galaxy of space materials. The physical characteristics of GRX-810, a “reinforced alloy” developed by a team from the National Space Administration (Nasa) and Ohio State University, are enough to make you dizzy. According to the space agency, this material would display such durability and strength that it could last 2,500 times longer than other competitors on the market. “This new alloy is a major achievement,” said Dale Hopkins, deputy project manager of the Transformational Tools and Technologies project, a cutting-edge NASA R&D program, in a press release released in May.
Two years after its discovery, NASA, holder of the patents, authorized four companies in May 2024 to manufacture and market GRX-810. The co-exclusive licensees are the American companies Carpenter Technology Corporation, Elementum 3D, Linde Advanced Material Technologies and Powder Alloy Corporation. “Discovering a new composition for an alloy is a long-term task, explains Franck Tancret, director of the materials department at Polytech Nantes. But the manufacturer who uses it must still have it certified for a particular application, which still requires a lot of work behind it.”
Thermodynamic modeling and 3D printing
The discovery remains no less beautiful. “Jet and rocket engine components made from GRX-810 will reduce operating costs by lasting longer and improving overall fuel efficiency,” promised Dale Hopkins. To determine the ideal composition of the “reinforced alloy”, the NASA team used thermodynamic modeling of materials. “Thanks to numerical calculations, researchers will test alloys by varying the chemical composition to find the optimal composition”indicates Ayoub El Moutaouakkil, metallurgical engineer who carries out the same type of analysis at the Technical Center for Mechanical Industries (Cetim).
The NASA alloy consists of a base of three elements: chromium, cobalt and nickel. After the development on the computer, the time comes for production: it involves fusing the three base metals by coupling 3D printing and high-power laser, while adding other elements. On the one hand, a mixture of niobium, titanium and tungsten in order to reinforce the microstructure of the whole and prevent it from altering, even at high temperatures. On the other hand, nanoparticles rich in oxygen, which will “block the movement of atoms when the alloy is subjected to deformation, even before the initiation of cracks”, explains Ayoub El Moutaouakkil.
Effective in space, but not necessarily in other sectors
Then comes the time for testing. “We heat the part obtained gradually by subjecting the alloy to mechanical resistance tests”, describes the scientist. My goal: to find your breaking point. At 1093°C, NASA reports a material twice as strong as many conventional nickel-based alloys. But Franck Tancret wants to nuance this. “Some alloys, even older ones, exhibit similar or better heat and strain resistance properties.” For the teacher-researcher at Polytech Nantes, the real advantage of this alloy is its compatibility with 3D printing methods to produce parts. This technology makes it possible to obtain parts of great finesse and geometric shapes of great complexity with shortened lead times.
Will this high-performance alloy also be used in other sectors? “The GRX-810 was designed for aerospace. It is absolutely not said that it presents the same interest, if we transpose it to the naval or railway industry.», Says Ayoub El Moutaouakkil. For its part, NASA will continue tests to ensure the advantages of the GXR-810 at the Marshall Space Flight Center (Alabama). Depending on the results, this material could well find its place in the next Artemis III mission, which should return man to the Moon.
