Engineering#14 in July 2026 EditionLaser additive manufacturing of defect-free refractory high-entropy alloys for hypersonic propulsion
Dmitri Orlov, Sean MacLeod, Rong-Hua Chen et al.
OPENSTEM EDITORIAL SUMMARY
What the research examines
By adjusting laser scan strategies and preheating powders to 800 °C, metallurgists eliminate solid-state thermal cracking in laser powder bed printed MoNbTaW refractory alloys, demonstrating yield strength above 850 MPa at extreme 1400 °C temperatures.
Why it may matter
Enables next-generation reusable combustion chambers and scramjet leading edges capable of withstanding extreme aerodynamic heating.
What to examine carefully
Powder cost and poor room-temperature fracture toughness remain significant manufacturing and handling barriers.
Editorial scope: This is a concise, independently written introduction based on the publisher information, not a full systematic review or independent replication. It must not replace reading the original methods, limitations and conclusions.
STUDENT RESEARCH LENS · ORIGINAL OPENSTEM NOTES
Try a small, reproducible follow-up
Calculate solid solution strengthening and lattice distortion parameters for multi-component equiatomic refractory alloys.
Questions to investigate
- What phase stability transformations occurred after 100 hours of thermal aging at 1200 °C?
- How was oxidation resistance evaluated in high-velocity hot oxygen-methane torch tests?
These are independently proposed educational investigations, not activities that the original research authors claim to have completed.
Publication & researcher information
JournalNature Communications
Published online2026-07-23
Authors (selected)Dmitri Orlov, Sean MacLeod, Rong-Hua Chen et al.
University / laboratoryOak Ridge National Laboratory
CountryUnited States
Multi-author research may involve universities in several countries. Unverified institutions and contact addresses are not inferred from authors' names.