Building rocket engines that can withstand the brutal heat of spaceflight has always been a major challenge.
Traditional 3D printing has made it easier to produce complex engine parts, but until now it was limited by the lack of affordable metals that could endure extreme temperatures.
The only suitable alloys were prohibitively expensive. That changed when engineers at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, developed a revolutionary new metal alloy known as GRX-810.
GRX-810 is made primarily of nickel, cobalt, and chromium. What makes it special is a ceramic oxide coating on the powdered metal particles.
This coating dramatically increases the metal’s heat resistance and strength.
Alloys strengthened in this way are called oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys, and they have long been known to offer excellent durability at high temperatures. However, producing them at a reasonable cost has been extremely difficult—until now.
The breakthrough came from an advanced coating process called resonant acoustic mixing. By rapidly vibrating a container filled with metal powder and nano-oxide particles, NASA scientists were able to evenly coat each particle with oxide. The result is a material where the oxide and metal are inseparable, even if the part is later ground back into powder and reused. That means every new component printed with GRX-810 retains its remarkable strength and heat resistance.
The advantages are dramatic. Under stress at temperatures of 2,000°F, parts made from GRX-810 can last up to a year. By comparison, other affordable alloys would crack within hours. This durability opens new doors for 3D-printed rocket engine parts, which can also be made in shapes far more complex than those produced through traditional manufacturing.
Commercial partners are already helping bring GRX-810 into wider use. Elementum 3D, a company based in Erie, Colorado, is producing the alloy in quantities ranging from small research batches to full tons. The company holds a co-exclusive license with NASA for the patented alloy and manufacturing method and is continuing to improve the material through ongoing collaboration with the space agency.
The potential applications go beyond space. Aviation companies are testing GRX-810 for use in engines where high heat quickly wears out components. For example, German company Vectoflow is experimenting with GRX-810 flow sensors that monitor the speed of gases in turbines.
Conventional sensors often burn out in minutes, but GRX-810 could make them last much longer, helping to improve fuel efficiency, reduce emissions, and cut costs.
By combining the power of 3D printing with this new ultra-tough alloy, NASA and its partners may have paved the way for a new era of space exploration and aviation technology—one where engines run hotter, last longer, and perform better than ever before.
