Chinese Scientists Develop Ultra-High Temperature Tantalum Alloy for Aerospace and Nuclear Use

A team of Chinese scientists says it has developed an alloy that retains strength at ultra-high temperatures using tantalum – a very hard and flexible metal. For applications in aerospace, hypersonic vehicles and nuclear reactors, materials must endure both extreme heat and heavy loads. But most metals fail above 2,000 degrees Celsius (3,632 degrees Fahrenheit) – they either melt or soften to a putty-like consistency. New research is challenging that limit. According to a paper published last month in Nature, a research team led by Sun Jun at Xian Jiaotong University has developed an alloy that maintains exceptional load-bearing performance at temperatures up to 2,400 degrees. For most metals, once the temperature reaches about 60 per cent of their melting point, their internal structure changes rapidly and their strength drops. For example, the nickel-based single-crystal superalloys widely used in aeroplane engines cannot cross the 2,000-degree threshold. The team’s work focuses on a tantalum alloy. Tantalum melts at nearly 3,000 degrees and alloys made using the metal are among the few materials that can carry loads above 2,000 degrees.