Researchers use niobium, molybdenum to find heat-tolerant alloys for aircraft
Niobium crystal bar.
Researchers at Kyoto University in Japan have measured what happens at the micro-level when pressure is applied on tiny samples of metals containing niobium silicide, which are promising materials that can withstand high temperatures and improve efficiency of gas turbines in power plants and aircraft.
In a paper published in the journal
Science and Technology of Advanced Materials, the scientists report their results demonstrate the cutting edge of research into plastic deformation behaviour in crystalline materials.
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Plastic deformation describes the distortion that occurs at the atomic level when a sustained force is applied to a crystal. By using a new approach to systematically measure plastic deformation in crystals, the team led by Kyosuke Kishida has discovered that the process shows promise for use in high-temperature gas turbines