Colleagues in non-ferrous metallurgy, together with researchers from ETH Zurich and the University of Huddersfield, have discovered a new alloy during their work that has great potential for space.
The sun is the most efficient nuclear reactor and particle accelerator in the solar system and poses a great challenge to any material used in space.
In their paper “Prototypic Lightweight Alloy Design for Stellar-Radiation Environment” our colleagues have dealt with exactly these conditions in space. They show that the T-phase in novel aluminium alloys can withstand the harsh radiation conditions of space. With conventional alloys, the problem arises that the hardening phases are typically not resistant to radiation, and the material is weakened by the dissolution.
The newly discovered hardening phase enables an improved design for aluminium materials for the future in space.
Further information is available at the following link: https://www.unileoben.ac.at/weiteres/news/neue-legierungen-widerstehen-der-sonne
The publication in Advanced Science is available under this link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/advs.202002397
We congratulate the team very warmly on this discovery!
