NASA's 3D-printable metal hopes to make air travel cheaper and faster for everyone

NASA’s new alloy, GRX-810, is built to handle punishing temperatures and heavy loads without falling apart. It can be 3D printed into complex shapes, which means engineers can make lighter parts that still keep their strength.

Most 3D printed engine parts failed because affordable metals could not take sustained heat near 2,000 F. GRX-810 changes that by combining a nickel, cobalt, and chromium base with tiny ceramic particles that stabilize the metal at high temperature.

Why nasa created GRX-810

Dr. Timothy M. Smith of NASA Glenn Research Center led the materials research that introduced GRX-810 and mapped out how to print it into dense, reliable parts.

In 2023, a peer reviewed study reported that GRX-810 delivered roughly two times higher tensile strength, about 1,000 times better creep performance, and twice the oxidation resistance than widely used printable nickel alloys at about 1,093 C, which is about 2,000 F.

Those numbers matter for engines that run hot for long stretches. Better creep resistance lets parts hold their shape and clearances for many hours, which helps keep efficiency stable and maintenance predictable.

Under a 20 million newtons per square meter (MPa) load (≈ 2,900 pounds per square inch (psi)) at about 2,000 F, the same study documented a GRX-810 specimen that lasted 6,500 hours before rupture, which is more than eight months of continuous stress. That kind of life is usually out of reach for lower cost printable alloys.

What makes GRX-810 different

GRX-810 is an oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloy, which means nanoscale ceramic particles are spread throughout the metal.

Those particles pin dislocations, the tiny defects that move when metals deform, so the material keeps its shape under heat and stress.

The base chemistry sits in the NiCoCr family, a class of superalloy systems known for strength and ductility at room and cryogenic temperatures.

GRX-810 adds carefully chosen elements so the matrix stays stable while small carbides protect the grain boundary regions where cracking often starts.

The particles themselves are yttrium oxide, also called Y2O3, at the nanoscale. Because they are thermally stable, they slow down diffusion and block the main creep pathways that usually cause elongation at high temperature.

GRX-810 is printed mainly by laser powder bed fusion, a method where a laser melts thin layers of metal powder to build parts one slice at a time.

The process can make internal channels and thin walls that are hard to machine, which is valuable for cooling passages and weight reduction.

From lab to technical parts

NASA has already fabricated nozzles and hot section components with GRX-810, then tested them under hot fire and rig conditions.

Those demonstrations showed the alloy can be processed not only by powder bed fusion but also by directed energy deposition for larger parts.

Printing enables shapes that help the metal survive. Engineers can tune wall thickness, lattice structures, and cooling channels so parts shed heat faster while staying strong.

To move from research to supply, NASA awarded co-exclusive license agreements for GRX-810 powder and process data. That step lets qualified manufacturers sell the alloy to aerospace and energy customers.

Elementum 3D is one supplier, producing powder in small batches for development and in lots over a ton for production. Access to consistent feedstock makes it easier for companies to run repeatable builds and qualify parts.

How stress testing works

When researchers say a part can withstand 20 MPa, they are describing the pressure applied across its surface.

This level equals about 2,900 pounds per square inch, similar to the pressure deep in a hydraulic system. Metals that survive this kind of load at nearly 2,000 F show both strength and stability that normal alloys lose quickly.

Stress testing pushes materials until they stretch, crack, or rupture. Engineers track how long an alloy lasts before it fails, which is called its creep life.

For GRX-810, the creep life under 20 MPa at high temperature is measured in thousands of hours, a result that points to safer, longer lasting parts in aerospace and energy systems.

GRX-810 durability proof

“A material under stress or a heavy load at high temperature can start to deform and stretch almost like taffy,” said Jeremy Iten, chief technical officer with Elementum 3D. Industry testing on scaled powder production is encouraging. 

“Initial tests done on the large-scale production of our GRX-810 alloy showed a lifespan that’s twice as long as the small-batch material initially produced, and those were already fantastic,” said Iten.

Future uses of GRX-810

“This superalloy has the potential to dramatically improve the strength and toughness of components and parts used in aviation and space exploration,” said Dr. Smith.

Aerospace is not the only field in play. Power generation turbines and hypersonic platforms also operate at sustained high temperatures, so durable printable metals could lower costs by combining long life with easier manufacturing.

If GRX-810 keeps proving consistent across different printers and lot sizes, certification will follow. That means shared printing parameters, robust inspection methods for internal defects, and records that tie powder lots to build outcomes.

The study is published in Nature.

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