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Can Osmium (OS) Replace Rhenium (Re) as The Most Important Strengthening Element in Nickel-Base Single Crystal Superalloys?

Recently, a team of Central South University including Professor Huang Zaiwang and Professor Zhang Lijun published a paper in ACTAMATERIALIA, reporting the latest research trends: the creep resistance and phase stability of nickel-base single crystal superalloy are improved by replacing Re with OS. So, how likely is it that osmium (OS) will replace rhenium (Re) as the most important strengthening element in ni-base single crystal superalloys in practical production and application? Let's read through the core meaning of this paper.

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Application of Rhenium in Nickel-based Superalloys

 Time of issue: : 2023-03--02

as a rare and refractory metal, rhenium comes into being in nature in association with metallic minerals such as molybdenum and copper. Rhenium has high melting point, high strength, good plasticity and stable mechanical properties and is widely used in single crystal superalloys for aero-engine turbine blades due to the "rhenium effect" caused by the addition of rhenium. Besides, the scarcity of reserves and the difficulty of processing and obtaining result in its high price, so many countries regard it as a strategic element. Currently, the superalloy industry is the largest consumer of rhenium, accounting for about 80% of the total, and with the rapid development of human aerospace industry, the consumer market demand for rhenium resources at a growth rate of 5% annually, leading to more attention to the application of rhenium. In order to alleviate the growing tension in rhenium resources, diversified enrichment and separation methods, the use of alternative elements, low rhenium as well as rhenium recycling and other emerging technologies have been gradually developed to make rhenium metal more fully available.

Application of rhenium metals in catalysts

 Time of issue: : 2022-11--29

Rhenium (Re) and its compounds have excellent catalytic activity (Re has a highly selective catalytic function for many chemical reactions), so it is often used as a catalyst in petrochemical and other fields. Catalytic reforming is one of the petroleum refining processes and an important means to improve the quality of gasoline and produce petrochemical raw materials. As a catalyst in catalytic reforming process, Re - Pt alloy can increase the depth of reforming reaction and increase the yield of gasoline, aromatic hydrocarbons and hydrogen. In addition, rhenium can also be used as a catalyst for automobile exhaust purification, and rhenium sulfide can be used as a hydrogenation catalyst for cresol, lignin, etc. The following lists the application of several rhenium metal catalysts.

Rhenium as a possible 3D printing material?

 Time of issue: : 2022-10--27

Darpa and Elementum 3D Printing have signed a new contract to fund research into rhenium as a 3D printing material. The aim is to use rhenium as a material, rather than just as an alloy, which currently contains about 6 per cent rhenium.

Tungsten-rhenium Alloy -- The "Rhenium Effect"

 Time of issue: : 2022-10--20

Microcracks often appear on the grain interface of pure tungsten metal, and the propagation of these microcracks is an important reason for the fracture of tungsten. Twinning is easy to form in the deformation process of W-rhenium alloy, which reduces the dislocation energy of stacking layer, reduces the grain boundary impedance of dislocation movement, and leads to the increase of dislocation mobility and the softening of tungsten solution. This phenomenon is called the rhenium effect.

Specialized solutions for milling, cutting and drilling tool base materials for high temperature alloys, refractory metals and other parts

 Time of issue: : 2022-04--06

Rheniumet Ltd has more than ten years of experience in the application and development of alloy trace addition, and provides rare, scattered and rare precious metal element addition solutions for various alloy manufacturing enterprises. According to the difficulties encountered in milling, cutting and drilling of high-temperature alloys, refractory metals and other parts and components reported by many users in recent years, Rheniumet has finally successfully developed after five years of joint research and development tests with leading domestic enterprises. In order to add ruthenium, rhenium, osmium and other elemental high-purity ultrafine powders specially used to add to the base material of such special cemented carbide tools, or Co-Ru, Re, Os binary and ternary pre-alloyed mixed powders, we also warmly welcome all major High-performance alloy tool manufacturing enterprises and our company jointly develop various special customized tool material grades.