Titanium-aluminum alloys: Significantly improving the load-carrying capacity of aero-engines

Aircraft engine is known as the heart of the aircraft, responsible for the energy conversion of the aircraft. The temperature resistance of the blades is a key factor in determining the performance of the engine. In order to shorten the gap between China and developed countries in Europe and the United States, China has listed aero engines and gas turbines as major scientific and technological research projects, and in March 2016 formally set up the "China Aviation Engine Group Co.

June 21, 2016, Nanjing University of Science and Technology held a press conference, the school's Chen Guang, professor team developed a new titanium aluminum alloy working temperature can reach 900 ℃, resistant to high temperatures of -250 ℃ or more than the ability to improve the existing core engine parts and components of more than 150. June 20, 2016, the world's top journal, "Nature Materials" published online its relevant results.

Meeting experts, China's aviation engine blade core component materials are nickel-based alloys, high temperature resistance at 650 ° C - 750 ° C, once the temperature is higher, the material will "creep", slowly deformation. Compared with nickel-based alloys, titanium-aluminum alloy not only has its own advantages such as small mass, but also has high strength, high plasticity.

It is understood that the Nanjing University of Science and Technology Materials Evaluation and Engineering Design Education and Research Center, Professor Chen Guang team funded by the National 973 Program, designed a new member of the "titanium-aluminum alloy family polymerization into a twin crystal titanium-aluminum single crystal" (PST titanium-aluminum single crystal), not only the strength and plasticity is greatly enhanced, the ability to withstand high temperatures to reach more than 900 ℃.

Experts, the U.S. GE has developed a code name "4822", 650 ° C - 750 ° C high temperature resistant titanium-aluminum alloy, instead of nickel-based high-temperature alloys, only made of the last two low-pressure turbine blades of a certain engine, the engine weight reduction of about 200 pounds, fuel reduction of 20%, nitrogen oxide emissions reduced by 80%, the noise is greatly reduced, used in the Boeing 787 passenger jet, the Boeing 787 passenger jet. Reduce, used in Boeing 787 airliner, successful test flight in 2007, 2009 officially put into commercial operation, in the field of aviation and materials sensation. Once this material is applied to the blade of the whole engine, the effect of weight reduction, noise reduction and fuel saving for the airplane engine will be more significant.

The next step of Nanjing Science and Technology will be to complete the comprehensive performance test of this alloy as soon as possible, and truly apply it to the manufacturing of Chinese aviation engine blades.