H.C. Starck launches niobium C-103 alloy for rocket and jet propulsion applications
May 31, 2018
H.C. Starck’s Fabricated Products Division (FPR), Newton, Massachusetts, USA, has introduced niobium C-103 for rocket and jet propulsion applications, typically used in spacecraft and launch vehicles. The new alloy will be available in a range of forms, including powder for metal Additive Manufacturing, and is said to offer excellent resistance to the high-frequency vibrations and cryogenic temperatures which occur in satellites and high-performance rocket nozzle applications.
Andreas Mader, CEO, Fabricated Products Division, explained, “H.C. Starck‘s niobium C-103 alloy is part of our alloy development programme to extend our fabricated products portfolio, allowing customers to take advantage of the unique characteristics of our alloyed materials. We are working with customers in space exploration to design the highest quality and performance products with the prospects of more advanced space exploration in mind.”
The company stated that it will collaborate with customers to produce niobium C-103 alloy components for aerospace. The alloy meets ASTM B652, B653, B654, AMS7852 and AMS7857 specifications and, as well as having a high resistance to cryogenic temperatures, is said to be capable of withstanding high stresses at elevated temperatures.
Partnering with its customers, H.C. Starck Group develops and optimises materials, products and processes, having decades of Powder Metallurgy experience and the chemical expertise to formulate powders which can be fabricated into products for the most challenging applications. The company has extensive in-house state-of-the-art labs equipped with analytical tools, testing equipment, modeling and simulation software, and has the capacity to evaluate product performance for the most critical applications.
