Arconic Offers New Alloy for High-Temp Aero Parts

Arconic is introducing an advanced titanium alloy for aerospace engine and adjacent structural parts, including forgings and rolled rings, that it claimed is “50% lighter than incumbent nickel-based superalloys,” meaning greater cost savings manufacturers and fuel-efficiency for aircraft operators. The supplier also predicted that the new material will help it to expand its presence aero engine and airframe markets.

The new material, Arconic-Thor, can be produced as forgings and rolled rings, as well as sheet, plate, foil, billets, and extrusions. It is formable (cold, hot, superplastic), heat treatable, and weldable, Arconic noted.

SAE’s Aerospace Material Specification Titanium and Refractory Metals Committee has approved the standard Aerospace Material Specification (AMS) 6953 for Arconic-Thor sheet.

 “Next-generation fuel-efficient aero engines are running hotter, presenting a materials challenge for the exhaust systems and adjacent structures,” stated Arconic Engineered Structures president Jeremy Halford. He called the new alloy “a breakthrough aerospace material that goes where conventional titanium alloys cannot.”

In addition to its heat-resistance, Arconic-Thor’s specific proprietary formulation demonstrates three times improved oxidation resistance compared to existing high-temperature titanium alloys, the developer noted. Improved oxidation-resistance protects against deterioration at high temperatures, so it can operate at service temperatures higher than any other conventional titanium alloy now available.

Arconic reported it produced full-scale components using Arconic-Thor sheet, in a U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory-funded research project, working with Boeing (airframe producer) and Honeywell (engine manufacturer.) The project validated the material as a “production-ready, superior oxidation-resistant titanium alloy at temperatures as much as 200°F above previously available high-temperature titanium alloy products, with acceptable oxidation resistance.

The project also concluded that Arconic-Thor significantly reduced weight and improved component performance.