You have to hear about the importance of this new technology.
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Thousands upon thousands of airplanes equipped with powerful (and quite dirty) jet engines take off from our nation's airports every single day.
In fact, some experts predict that airplanes will dump 43 gigatonnes of pollution into the environment by 2050.
As a result of the known influence that airplanes have on the environment, a wave of new research in aerospace engineering has been devoted to improving way that superalloys perform under high-temperature environments.
Essentially, if nickel-based superalloys can sustain performance under extreme temperatures, we may be able to ultimately reduce carbon dioxide emissions from jet engines.
Towards this end, Michael Mills at Ohio State University led a team of researchers toward finding a way to prevent a phenomenon known as "creep" in materials found in jet engines.
Creep, the process whereby materials change in size and shape over time, reduces an engine's efficiency. Ultimately, these new high-performance materials will increase an engine's efficiency and as a result reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
Michael Mills knew that a new type of material that could sustain higher temperatures for longer was crucial.
“Increased performance in aircraft engines and land-based power generators require the development of a new generation of high-temperature structural materials that are resistant to creep,” said Mills.
The group developed a new way to strengthen nickel-based superalloys through a process known as "phase transformation."
This process allows superalloys to sustain performance temperatures above 1200 degrees Fahrenheit.
Titanium plays a very important role in this phase-strengthening method.
"We found that increasing the concentrations of the elements titanium, tantalum and niobium in superalloys inhibits the formation of high temperature deformation twins," said Mills.
In other words, it reduces creep.
The collaboration between Ohio State and GE Engineers marks a huge step forward in high-performance materials.
In other words, it reduces creep.
The collaboration between Ohio State and GE Engineers marks a huge step forward in high-performance materials.
Interestingly, Pratt & Whitney have also been attempting to develop new turbofan engines that will significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
The race is on to produce the lightest, fastest, most environmentally-friendly jet engine.
It looks like engineers and scientists are getting closer every day!
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