A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 2 1 2 PROCESS TECHNOLOGY MAKING STRONGER AIRCRAFT STRUCTURES With a combination of laser technologies and isostatic pressing, scientists from NUST MISIS, Moscow, developed a method to produce composite parts for the aerospace industry while increasing the strength of the finished products by 15%. The resulting titanium-silicon composite material has unique mechanical properties necessary for the creation of air and land transport—high tensile strength and stiffness. Parts made of such composites are in demand by the aerospace industry. The properties of this fiber composite are highly dependent on a complex manufacturing technology. Combining laser technology and hot pressing, the research team’s hybrid array of golf-tee shaped columns on the surface on a 3 x 3 mm diamond sheet. The shape of the golf tees, wide on top and skinny on the bottom, makes the surface of the diamond 98.9% reflective. To test the mirror with a high-power laser, the team turned to collaborators at Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pa. There, in a specially designed room that is locked to prevent dangerous levels of laser light from seeping out and blinding or burning those in the adjacent room, the researchers put their mirror in front of a 10 kW laser, strong enough to burn through steel. Future applications could include semiconductor and industrial manufacturing, deep space communications, and defense purposes. The approach could also be useful for less expensive materials, such as fused silica. Harvard Office of Technology Development has protected the intellectual property associated with this project and is exploring the commercialization opportunities. harvard.edu. A sampling of 3D printed composite parts used in the aerospace industry. Courtesy of Sergey Gnuskov/NUST MISIS. approach addresses the prohibitive challenge of liquid state manufacturing methods for titaniumsilicon composites. The researchers demonstrated the feasibility of their process by manufacturing fiber-reinforced titanium alloy parts with a volume fraction of fibers equal to 17%. X-ray tomography revealed the absence of defects in the obtained part and a good contact between the matrix and the fibers. Tests for three-point bending showed that the composite part created according to the new technology has significantly higher strength and stiffness indicators than the part made of a massive titanium alloy. Currently, the scientific group is working to optimize the technology and expand the range of manufactured parts. en.misis.ru. HIGHLY REFLECTIVE DIAMOND MIRRORS Researchers at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS), Cambridge, Mass., etched nanostructures onto the surface of a thin sheet of diamond to build a highly reflective mirror that withstood 10 kW Navy laser experiments without damage. Using an ion beam to etch the diamond, the researchers sculpted an BRIEF An engineering collaboration between Lufthansa Technik and BASF, both headquartered in Germany, resulted in the debut of a thin film coating that can be applied to an aircraft’s outer skin to reduce drag. The team describes the new AeroSHARK coating as a durable bionic film that successfully mimics the skin of sharks, optimizing airflow and enabling significant fuel savings. lufthansa-technik.com/aeroshark. Zoomed SEM image of the mirror. Courtesy of Loncar Lab/Harvard SEAS.
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