https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/china-develops-niobium-alloy-hypersonic-flight

The US has imposed sanctions on Chinese universities like Northwestern Polytechnical University, hindering their research. This university is accelerating the research on advanced tech like hypersonic aircraft. This has led to increased Chinese government and military support, enabling Wei’s team to conduct experiments on the Chinese space station since 2021.

The microgravity environment of space alters the behavior of materials compared to Earth, where gravity plays a dominant role. In the absence of gravity, processes like crystal growth and solidification occur differently. The microgravity experiments led to the observation of several unique phenomena. During the rapid solidification of the niobium-silicon alloy, a distinctive shrinkage pore structure formed in the microgravity environment — unlike what is typically observed on Earth. The crystal growth patterns observed in space were different from those observed in ground-based experiments. This extensive research and understanding led to the development of niobium-silicon alloy.

The researchers called it a “gift from heaven.”

They developed a rapid cooling method that enables the production of high-quality niobium-silicon crystals at a speed of nearly 3.5 inch (9 centimeters) per second. This dramatically reduces the production time compared to traditional methods.

The team also incorporated a small amount of hafnium into the alloy to enhance the crystals’ strength. This increased its strength at room temperature by over three times. This improvement addresses the brittleness issue and makes the alloy suitable for use in demanding engine manufacturing processes.

This feels like a scene at the start of a mecha anime.