May 2024 Metallurgy Blog
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May 13, 2024
New Tungsten Clad Reactor was Able to Sustain a Reaction at 50 million Degrees
New Tungsten Clad Reactor was Able to Sustain a Reaction at 50 million Degrees
The WEST fusion reactor in France was recently upgraded to a tungsten interior, this enabled it to sustain a reaction at 50 million degrees Celsius for a full six minutes at higher energies and densities. The Tungsten Environment in Steady-state Tokamak (WEST) reactor is the successor to the Tore Supra reactor which had an interior made of graphite tiles. Carbon has an incredibly high melting point yet it may not be the ideal material of choice for commercial reactors. This is because due to its relatively high atomic mass compared to tungsten, carbon retains fuel in the wall. Reactors need to create tritium from these reactions to create a sustainable fuel supply, and thus a carbon interior does not work. However, using tungsten presents its own unique challenges, as it can cool the plasma significantly if they come into contact. Princeston university researcher Luis Delgado-Aparicio mentioned that “the tungsten-wall environment is far more challenging than using carbon,” and that “This is, simply, the difference between trying to grab your kitten at home versus trying to pet the wildest lion.” Learn more about this topic here.
May 31, 2024
NASA Unveils Breakthrough 3D-Printable Superalloy
NASA Unveils Breakthrough 3D-Printable Superalloy
NASA recently achieved a major breakthrough with the discovery of a new ultra strong 3D printable superalloy. They are calling this alloy GRX-810 and they say that its key feature is its “unprecedented strength.” Its high resistance to extreme temperatures highlights it potential to be used in the production of better and longer lasting components for aviation and space applications. The superalloy’s incredible strength and durability make it the perfect material to be incorporated into air and spacecraft manufacturing. GRX-810 excellent properties are due to its one of a kind microstructure. Nanoscale oxide particles are incorporated into the alloy, acting as reinforcements and thereby enhancing its mechanical properties. The superalloy demonstrates incredible feats such as being able to withstand over 2000 degrees Fahrenheit and outperforming existing state of the art alloys by 1000 times in temperature stress tests. On top of that the new alloy displays enhanced malleability, which allows it to deform under stress before fracturing. developing GRX-810 was a long and difficult process, not to mention expensive. To accomplish such a difficult task the researchers had to develop a novel technique that combined computer modeling and 3D printing. Learn more about this topic here.
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