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IND NEWS_metpolcer.qxp 2/17/2009 10:55 AM Page 1

INDUSTRY NEWS POLYMERS CERAMICS P&W F135 STOVL engine cleared for powered lift operations BRIEFS Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engine program has Brush Wellman Inc. achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first announces that two grades engine to receive a Statement of Qualification for of its ToughMet family of -nickel- products F-35 Short Take Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) ToughMet3 AT110 full powered lift operations. Unlike the V-22 Osprey rod/tube and TS160 and the AV-8B Harrier vertical lift propulsion sys- Rod/Bar, are included in tems, the F135 combines vertical powered lift, more the Materials Properties than 40,000 pounds of thrust, supersonic capabilities, and stealth technology. Development & The statement issued by the F-35 Joint Program Office states, “. . . the STOVL Propulsion System Standardization satisfactorily completed the Final Flight Release Verification Activities, . . . and may therefore be (MMPDS-05) Handbook. used for all ground testing including full STOVL mode at the Pit and all Up and Away and Powered This handbook, formerly known as Department of Lift flight operations.” The system was qualified after eight years and more than 11,000 test hours. Defense (DoD) MIL-HDBK-5, For more information: P&W Military Engines, 400 Main Street, East Hartford, CT06108; tel: contains Federal Aviation 860/557-0122; www.pw.utc.com. Administration (FAA) approved “design - coating protects with half the thickness allowables” for metals A new process has been developed for the manufacture of magnesium-bearing zinc coatings and alloys in aerospace containing approximately 1% magnesium by ThyssenKrupp , Germany . The new process en- vehicles. www.brushwellman.com ables the coating to be produced in existing hot-dip galvanizing lines. The high corrosion resist- ance of this coating makes it possible to cut the coating thickness in half, while retaining the same Eagle Stainless Tube & protective effect. The new coating thus makes an exceptional contribution to the conservation of Fabrication Inc. offers resources. custom engineered parts The new flat steel product ZMg EcoProtect provides improved resistance to cut-edge and machined from stainless cut-face corrosion. It is also a very good substrate for organic coilcoated products. steel, and nickel- Besides significantly increased corrosion resistance compared to zinc coatings, the new material has based alloys for precision application properties at least comparable with those of conventional zinc coatings. As a result, it medical, aerospace, has possible applications in the construc- electronic, and industrial Germanium added to adds applications. Products tion, garage door, domestic appliance, features tolerances to hardness, prevents oxidization vehicle and automotive industries. 0.0001 inch and Argentium is an of silver and germanium, which oxidizes A hypoeutectic composition with pri- concentricity to +/-0.0005 to protect the surface of the precious , says Argentium Silver, mary precipitated zinc-rich solid solu- inch with better than a class England. Not only does it contain more silver than sterling, with up tions (Zn-Mg) and a eutectic of Zn-Mg one fit on threaded parts. to 97% purity, but it is also tarnish-free and as hard as steel. Pure with the intermetallic phase Mg2Zn11, www.eagletube.com silver is too soft for most uses, so it is mixed with copper to make it which forms peritectically, arise in a zinc Morgan Technical more durable. However, when the copper comes in contact with air melt with approximately 1% magne- sium. The eutectic composition of Ceramics Certech has it oxidizes, causing the silver to tarnish. introduced its advanced Germanium in Argentium oxidizes preferentially to the copper 92.2 % zinc solidifies under equilibrium P52 material for and silver in the presence of air, an invisible protective conditions at 364 °C. A magnesium con- ceramic cores that remain germanium oxide surface layer. The oxide is able to continuously tent of 1% results in a liquidus temper- extremely stable for replenish itself at ambient temperatures through the migration of ature of approximately 405 °C. The for- high-temperature germanium atoms to the surface, preventing the formation mation of the intermetallic phase is superalloys in quieter and more fuel-efficient of both tarnish and firescale. suppressed by rapid cooling, and a metastable eutectic structure of Zn-Mg engines. The fused silica Argentium Silver can be formed into complex shapes in its fully ceramic cores are ideal in and MgZn2 is formed. This structure soft condition. It can be soldered and stone set, and then by means airfoil casting of blades of simple heat treatment, have its hardness substantially increased has also been determined in the applied and vanes for rotating and without the risks associated with quenching coatings I Fig. 2 I. static parts of these For more information: Argentium Silver, Surrey, England; tel: 44 For more information: Erich Nabbefeld- engines. Arnold, Thyssen Krupp Steel AG, Eichen, (0)208 411 5145; www.argentiumsilver.com. www.morgantechnical Germany; www.thyssenkrupp.com. ceramics.com ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES/MARCH 2009 3 IND NEWS_metpolcer.qxp 2/17/2009 10:55 AM Page 2

BRIEFS Republic Engineered Ergonomic grass mower made of advanced high strength steel Products Inc., announces A new, more convenient and ergonomic grass mower unit for the relocation of its Cold Finished Bar Products tractor mounting has been developed by the French company headquarters to its Kuhn. The Pro-Longer unit is made of advanced high strength manufacturing facility in steel, which has paved the way to major improvements. The de- Massillon, Ohio. The signers have cut its weight, increased strength, and reduced the Massillon location is the number of parts. largest of three Republic The choice fell on a combination of hot-rolled, advanced high sites that manufacture cold- strength steel with a minimum yield strength of 700 MPa, and finished bar. The other heavier high strength with the same strength. This facilities are located in Gary, Ind., and Hamilton, enabled the weight of the main arm to be cut by 23%, which also al- Ontario. lowed for a lighter counterweight. In spite of the reduced weight, the strength of the arm was increased by 20% The result of the Ticona Engineering lower weight is a reduced load on the tractor, less wear of the Polymers has available a chassis and wheel suspensions, and smoother running. low-viscosity grade of For more information: Anders Sörman, SSAB Strip Products Division, Sweden; tel: 46 243 Fortron PPS that meets 710 80; [email protected]; www.steelprize.com; www.ssabtunnplat.com. today’s market demand for low halogen materials. This nanoparticles could carry drugs to treat cancer, other diseases next generation Fortron PPS A drug-delivery system that allows multiple drugs to be released in a controlled gives designers and manufacturers a “drop-in” from tiny gold particles by infrared light has been announced by researchers at the Massachu- option for in eco-friendly setts Institute of Technology. electrical and electronic The new technique takes advantage of the fact that when gold nanoparticles are exposed to components. infrared light, they melt and release drug payloads attached to their surfaces. Nanoparticles www.ticona.com of different shapes respond to different infrared wavelengths, so just by controlling the infrared wavelength, the release time can be selected for each drug. The team built two different shapes of nanoparticles, which they call “nanobones” and

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“nanocapsules.” Nanobones melt at light wavelengths of 1100 nanometers, and nanocapsules at 800 nanometers. In theory, up to four different-shaped particles could be developed, each re- leasing its payload at different wavelengths. For more information: Prof. Kimberly Hamad-Schifferli, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139; tel: 617/452-2385; [email protected]; www.mit.edu.

Concrete made of nanofibers, pozzolan, and recycled materials A concrete made of 90% recycled and by-product materials without sacrificing strength or durability has been announced by Ekocrete Inc., Santa Rosa, Calif. waste from coal mills, known as pozzolan, is added in high dosages. The company says that pozzolan is much like what the Romans added to make their concrete last 2000 years. Other industrial byproducts provide nanofibers for crack reduction and nanoparticles for surface density to reduce water penetration. In addition, Ekocrete includes crushed recycled concrete for aggregate, avoiding the expense and environ- mental damage involved in the creation of new aggregate. It is competitively priced with normal concrete because of its high recycled content. For more information: Richard Mc- Cabe, Ekocrete Inc., Santa Rosa, Calif.; tel: 707/874–2431; [email protected] ; www.ekocrete.com. Pore-free ceramics can substitute for crystals in solid-state lasers Ceramics that are so pure and per- fectly transparent, they can substitute for crystals in solid-state lasers are said to be under development at Pennsyl- vania State University, University Park. To make the ceramics, the group started with powders and mixed them with liquids and polymers to make a material similar in consistency to paint. Thin sheets were made via tape casting, then the sheets were cut into squares and stacked to form squares about one centimeter thick by five centimeters . After applying heat to sinter the squares, the ceramics became trans- parent. However, the material still con- tained enough pores to degrade a laser’s performance. “We did a final step, hot isostatic pressing, in which we heated the ce- ramics to over 1600°C and applied high pressures with argon gas,” says Prof. Gary Messing. “By combining heat with pressure, we eliminated the few remaining pores.” For more information: Gary Messing, Pennsylvania State University, Uni- versity Park, Pa.; tel: 814/865-2262; [email protected];www.psu.edu. ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES/MARCH 2009 5