Revolution in supersonic flight: a unique alloy has been developed based on experiments conducted in space.

Thanks to the experiments conducted by astronauts aboard the Chinese space station "Tianhe," scientists have developed a unique alloy that could enhance the performance of supersonic and hypersonic aircraft. This alloy, composed of niobium and silicon, can withstand extreme temperatures, making it ideal for the production of high-performance aviation engines. According to Chinese researchers, turbine fan blades made from this alloy can endure temperatures exceeding 1700 degrees Celsius. The study was published in the journal Acta Physica Sinica, as reported by Interesting Engineering.

Creating a niobium-silicon alloy is extremely challenging. Mass production of such an alloy has faced two main issues: the material's brittleness and the very slow crystal growth.

To produce strong crystals, it took approximately 100 hours at temperatures above 1600 degrees Celsius. However, the resulting material was very brittle at room temperature, making it unsuitable for aviation engine applications.

Now, scientists have resolved the challenges associated with creating the niobium-silicon alloy. They developed a rapid cooling method that allows for the production of high-quality niobium-silicon crystals at a rate of about 9 cm per second. This significantly reduces the production time of the alloy compared to traditional methods.

The researchers added a small amount of hafnium to the niobium-silicon alloy to enhance the strength of the crystals. As a result, the strength of the alloy at room temperature increased by more than three times. The brittleness issue was addressed, making it suitable for use in engines for supersonic and hypersonic aircraft.

This achievement became possible after a series of experiments were conducted on the Chinese space station "Tianhe." In a microgravity environment, the behavior of materials changes. Without gravity, processes such as crystal growth and solidification occur differently.

Experiments showed that during the rapid solidification of the niobium-silicon alloy in microgravity, an unusual internal structure formed within the material. Additionally, the crystals grew differently than they do on Earth.

Experts believe that mass production of the niobium-silicon alloy could stimulate both China's military industry and high-tech civilian sectors of the economy.

Currently, China ranks first in the world for the use of the rare metal niobium. However, the country holds less than 1% of the world's total niobium reserves. China sources its niobium from Brazil, which possesses nearly 90% of the world's niobium reserves.