$1.2 Million Grant Will Help Development of Metal Alloys for Hypersonic Conditions

Researchers at the University of Arizona have received a $1.2 million grant from the Office of Naval Research’s Defense University Research Instrumentation Program to develop 3D printing materials capable of withstanding hypersonic speeds: Mach 5 or higher – five times faster than the speed of sound.

They will develop novel metallic alloys which are designed to be used for 3D printing, as currently, the metals used for additive manufacturing have not been made specifically for this purpose. Furthermore, these new alloys will be able to withstand hypersonic conditions, where there are high stress levels, and friction and air resistance generate high levels of heat. The team will put money towards instruments including a powder bed fusion system, a gas atomization system to convert molten metals into powders,and a vacuum furnace for post-processing of objects.

Metal alloys combine the metallic element with another element, metal or non-metal (Photo credit: Tampa Steel)

As Sammy Tin, Department Head of Material Science and Engineering put it, “If we can develop materials and alloys that are specific to the 3D-printing process, we can customize alloy chemistries so that they have attributes that make it easier or more friendly for 3D printing.” This means that 3D printing would become a more applicable process for industry, as common issues could be eliminated and the end products would have better or more suitable properties.