Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2021 - 36

Materials & Coatings
High-Temperature Ni-Based Superalloy Composition
The alloy has applications in jet turbine disks and other high-stress and/or high-temperature
environments.
John H. Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio

he drive for energy efficiency in
power generation and propulsion
places the development of high-performance materials at the forefront of materials science. Turbine engine efficiency

and reduction in carbon emissions are
directly related to engine operating temperature. With increasing temperatures,
materials start to plastically deform
under load - a process known as creep,

Creep - 760° C/552MPa
0.35
+

Creep Strain

0.3

LPT

0.25
0.2
0.15

ME3 - CG
LSHR- CG

0.1

NASA Alloy 1 - FG

0.05
0
0

100

150

200

250

Time (Hrs)
The Ni-based alloy presents significantly better creep properties over current alloys (ME3 and LSHR)
through phase transformation strengthening.

which sets severe limits on performance.
Therefore, increased performance in aircraft engines and land-based power generators requires the development of new
high-temperature structural materials
that are resistant to creep.
NASA Glenn researchers developed a
nickel-based (Ni-based) superalloy using
specific alloying elements to inhibit
deleterious deformation at temperatures above 700 °C. The superalloy composition significantly improves the creep
life of turbine disks and also increases
the operating temperature limit.
NASA is actively seeking licensees to commercialize this technology. Please contact
NASA's Licensing Concierge at Agency-PatentLicensing@mail.nasa.gov or call us at 202358-7432 to initiate licensing discussions.
Follow this link for more information: https://
technology.nasa.gov/patent/LEW-TOPS-152.

Material System Harnesses Evaporation to Keep Items Cool
Inspired by camel fur, a two-layered material could provide extended cooling to preserve the
freshness of perishable goods.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge

amels keep cool while conserving
water in a scorching desert environment via a thick coat of insulating fur.
Applying essentially the same approach,
researchers have developed a system that
could help keep things like pharmaceuticals or fresh produce cool in hot environments without the need for a power supply.
The camel's coat, or a person's clothing, can help reduce loss of moisture
while at the same time allowing enough
sweat evaporation to provide a cooling
effect. Tests have showed that a shaved
camel loses 50 percent more moisture
than an unshaved one under identical
conditions. The new system uses a twolayer material to achieve a similar effect.
The material's bottom layer, substituting
for sweat glands, consists of hydrogel - a
gelatin-like substance that consists mostly
of water - contained in a sponge-like

A two-layer passive cooling system, made of hydrogel and aerogel, can keep foods and pharmaceuticals cool for days without the need for electricity. In this close-up of the two-layer material, the
upper layer consists of aerogel and the bottom layer of hydrogel. (Credit: Courtesy of the researchers)

www.techbriefs.com

Cov

ToC

Tech Briefs, April 2021

https://technology.nasa.gov/patent/LEW-TOPS-152 http://www.techbriefs.com http://www.abpi.net/ntbpdfclicks/l.php?202104TBNAV

Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Tech Briefs Magazine - April 2021