ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | OCTOBER 2025 12 EMERGING TECHNOLOGY NASA DEVELOPS PRINTABLE METAL ALLOY Scientists at NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, developed a new metal alloy called GRX-810 as a cost- effective option for additive manufacturing of engine components. The primary metals in GRX-810 are nickel, cobalt, and chromium, while a ceramic oxide coating on the powdered metal particles increases heat resistance. Known as oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys, the powders were difficult to manufacture at an afford- able cost when the project started. However, the advanced dispersion coating technique developed at NASA uses resonant acoustic mixing. Rapid vibration is applied to a container filled with the metal powder and nano-oxide particles. The vibration evenly coats each particle with the oxide, making them inseparable. Even if a manufactured part is ground to powder and reused, the next component will have the same qualities as the original ODS. Researchers say the benefits over traditional alloys are significant: GRX-810 could last up to a year at 2000°F under stress loads that would crack other alloys within hours. In addition, 3D printing parts with GRX-810 enables more complex shapes compared to metal parts manufactured using standard methods. Elementum 3D, Erie, Colo., is making GRX-810 in quantities ranging from small batches to over a ton. The company has a co-exclusive license for the NASA-patented alloy and manufacturing process and is continuing to work with the agency under a Space Act Agreement to improve the material. Industries from commercial space to aviation are now testing GRX-810 for additional applications such as flow sensors in turbines that could improve airplane fuel efficiency. nasa.gov. NEW CRYSTAL BREATHES OXYGEN Researchers from Pusan National University in Korea and Hokkaido University in Japan discovered a new type of crystal that can “breathe” by releasing and absorbing oxygen repeatedly at relatively low temperatures. They say this unique ability could revolutionize the way clean energy technologies are developed, including fuel cells, energy-saving windows, and smart thermal devices. The new material is a special kind of metal oxide made of strontium, iron, and cobalt. What makes it extraordinary is that it can release oxygen when heated in a simple gas environment and then take it back in without falling apart. This process can be repeated many times, making it a good candidate for real- world applications. “It is like giving the crystal lungs and it can inhale and exhale oxygen on command,” says scientist Hyoungjeen Jeen of Pusan. Controlling oxygen in materials is crucial for technologies like solid oxide fuel cells that produce electricity from hydrogen with minimal emissions. It also plays a role in thermal transistors and in smart windows that adjust their heat flow depending on the weather. Until now, most materials that could do this kind of oxygen control were too fragile or operated only under harsh conditions such as extremely high temperatures. The new material works under milder conditions and remains stable. The team also showed that the material could return to its original form when oxygen was reintroduced, proving that the process is fully reversible. www.global.hokudai.ac.jp. Apptronik, Austin, Texas, launched its subsidiary Elevate Robotics Inc. to focus on automating industrial tasks beyond human limits. The company’s flagship humanoid robot Apollo took a decade of development and builds on 15 previous robotics systems. Apptronik will continue to focus on Apollo while Elevate will concentrate on industrialscale work. apptronik.com. BRIEF GRX-810, NASA’s new metal alloy for 3D printing parts, can withstand the extreme temperatures of rocket engines, allowing affordable printing of high-heat parts. Courtesy of NASA. A schematic illustration of the oxygen-breathable crystal, SrFe0.5Co0.5O2.5, which is used in smart windows and next-generation electronics. Courtesy of Hyoungjeen Jeen from Pusan National University.
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