High-temperature tungsten/superalloy composite

摘要

A nickel-base superalloy that can reportedly be used as the matrix material for tungsten wire-reinforced metal matrix composites is under development by researchers Jonathan A. Lee at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama, and Pat Salvail at IIT Research Institute, Chicago, Ill. The alloy is said to be similar in composition to Waspaloy, except that it contains 2 to 4 percent tungsten while Waspaloy contains no tungsten. The composite is being developed for advanced gas turbine engines and other applications that operate at temperatures to 1090 deg C (2000 deg F). The modified chemical composition is formulated to retard interfacial chemical reaction and elemental interdiffusion between the matrix and tungsten wire. As a result, high-temperature stability and resistance to thermal fatigue are said to be increased.