Trends in high temperature materials technology for advanced aircraft turbine engines

The utilization of high temperature materials for turbine blades, disks, vanes, and combustors is reviewed. The use of directionally solidified eutectic alloys and of metal fiber reinforced superalloys as turbine blade materials is discussed. The application of powder metallurgy to the production of turbine disks is considered. It is shown that oxide-dispersion strengthened alloys (including NiCr and NiCr-Al) and ceramics are the best refractory turbine vane materials. The use of heat resistant sheet alloys as combustor materials is examined. The cost benefits to be derived from the application of high temperature technology to advanced CTOL and STOL engines are described.