Purdue Engineers Unlock Key to Combining Exceptional Strength with Plasticity for ‘Intermetallics’

Materials engineers have developed the ability to manipulate structure and matter at the nanoscale for solid-state alloys called intermetallics, making it possible to alter their properties for extra performance characteristics.

Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Intermetallics, which consist of two or more metallic elements in an ordered, crystal structure, are especially good candidates for these enhanced physical and chemical properties, owing to the critical role they play in demanding applications and products such as jet engines, gas turbines, and energy storage and automotive systems. The remarkable strength, high melting temperatures and superior creep resistance of intermetallics make them indispensable for structural usage in extreme environments.

In a paper published in Science Advances, Purdue University engineers demonstrated a way to achieve simultaneous high strength and plasticity in cobalt aluminum (CoAl) intermetallics.