Don't worry. I'm not going to talk about nu metal or Limp Bizkit! I鈥檓 here to introduce you to some important new metals from the always-riveting world of material science. So, let鈥檚 get rollin鈥�, rollin鈥�, rollin鈥�.
Evolutional Alloys
Back when I learned y鈥檃ll on Inconel and its heat and corrosion-resistant properties 鈥� and how it was difficult to process before additive manufacturing 鈥� I also talked about its predecessor, Monel, which was used for U.S. military dog tags until it was replaced by T304 stainless steel.
My point is: There鈥檚 always going to be something newer and hotter. Alloys are constantly evolving to meet new demands and incorporate the latest developments. New technologies can even create new possibilities for old(er) materials 鈥� like additive manufacturing and Inconel.
AerMet
OK, bear with me: I鈥檓 going to talk a little about guns. Specifically, firearm bolts, which are like vault doors for a gun鈥檚 chamber; they keep all the pressure from the deflagrating propellants from going the wrong way. They are tasked with being near-immovable objects to contain that pressure, as well as being able to move with minimal resistance when called upon. They need to be made from some pretty incredible material!
Bolts for the M4/M16-based rifles used by U.S. Special Operations Command used to be made out of Carpenter 158 steel, which dunks on common 300-series stainless steel. However, such 鈥渟ecretive鈥� weapons often utilize suppressors (aka silencers), which work like car mufflers: they keep things quiet(er). They also have similar drawbacks 鈥� but of a multiplied magnitude.
Any gearhead can tell you that standard mufflers build too much back pressure and rob cars of precious power. Suppressors on automatic weapons generate an astronomical amount of back pressure (which yields a higher cyclic rate of fire and thus accelerate wear and tear) that most guns 鈥� especially the M4/M16 鈥� were not designed to handle. This led to a lot of broken bolts. That鈥檚 not a good thing during covert operations. Enter AerMet 100.
Admittedly, AerMet 100 isn鈥檛 new. Conceived in the 鈥�80s by Carpenter, the AerMet family of alloys was originally used for other high-speed, low-drag Department of Defense applications. It was in things like landing gear for military aircraft and high-stress components in the catapult launching systems of aircraft carriers. The bolts didn鈥檛 come around until the mid-2000s, and they鈥檝e never been classified as 鈥渕il-spec鈥� because, well, covert. So, while AerMet isn鈥檛 as old as Inconel, it鈥檚 still older than I am.
Disclaimer: I鈥檓 not a paid shill for Carpenter 鈥� just an enthusiastic material science dilettante. In fact, there is a far superior 鈥� and cheaper 鈥� alloy to Carpenter 158 鈥� and it鈥檚 older than Inconel!
The steel alloy 9310 has a nearly identical composition to Carpenter 158 but includes molybdenum. This makes it much easier to harden 鈥� and far less expensive since it does not require any of Carpenter鈥檚 proprietary and costly preparation. The downside is that some alternative surface treatments and coatings can ruin the hardening. But it has a pedigree as bolt material for many dependable, modern, fully automatic weapon systems. And once you get a government contract, you鈥檙e made in the shade of a flourishing money tree
The Next Level: What鈥檚 NASA doing?
So, what鈥檚 actually new? GRX-810. You鈥檝e probably heard it mentioned in manufacturing news here and there over the past few years, and it鈥檚 new enough that there鈥檚 not a whole lot of easily accessible information yet. Try Googling 鈥淕RX-810.鈥� I鈥檒l wait.
Not easy, huh?
If you鈥檙e like me and your results showed a bunch of bicycle parts, add 鈥渁lloy鈥� to your search. That鈥檒l get you to some articles about NASA letting four companies validate the claims of how special GRX-810 is. One of those companies is Elementum 3D, where some personal material science heroes of mine work, and another is one you may recognize: Carpenter. What a coincidence!
What do we know about GRX-810 so far? It鈥檚 an incredibly durable, nickel-based, oxide dispersion-strengthened (ODS) alloy that鈥檚 easier to 3D print than alloys with less (or no) nickel. With a refractory metal-rich composition, it withstands temperatures of over 2,000 F (1,093 C) and is twice as strong and oxidation-resistant as existing alloys. Using computational modeling and 3D printing, stable oxide particles are incorporated throughout its metal matrix, enhancing high-temperature performance 鈥� perfect for extreme aerospace conditions. It鈥檚 seemingly an insane leap forward in specialty alloy material science!
Please Wrap This Up
And there you have it! Whether it's for keeping our covert operatives in action with stealthy tech or helping NASA reach new heights (literally), the future of metals and material science is evolving faster than ever. Keep your eye on GRX-810 鈥� it might just be the next game changer. Until then, stay sharp, stay curious, and remember to put 鈥渁lloy鈥� in your Google search strings!
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