Ti's New Superalloy Could Soon Take Flight
Ever since the Wright brothers' first flight, researchers have hunted for lighter, stronger materials for aircraft parts and engines. In recent years, much of this search has focused on an exotic metal called gamma titanium aluminide. It is lighter than the nickel- and cobalt-based superalloys used in most aircraft engines, and it can withstand the superhigh temperatures generated by the most efficient jet engines. But there's a problem: The metal is extremely brittle--and shaping it into the thin foils, or sheets, that are mixed with ceramic fibers to form shafts, turbine blades, and other crucial structural parts of an engine has proved impossible.
To continue reading this article you must be a Bloomberg Professional Service Subscriber.
If you believe that you may have received this message in error please let us know.
- Smartphones Are Killing Americans, But Nobody’s Counting
- Why a Pub in the Middle of Nowhere Was Named the World’s Best Restaurant
- Ford to Take $267 Million Hit From Recall of F-Series Trucks
- Facebook and Google Helped Anti-Refugee Campaign in Swing States
- Turns Out It Will Be Congress's Fault When Stocks Crash