New Material Gives Copper Superalloy-Like Strength

Researchers from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and Lehigh University have developed a groundbreaking nanostructured copper alloy using powder metallurgy and high-energy cryogenic milling that could redefine high-temperature materials for aerospace, defense and industrial applications. 

The Cu-Ta-Li (Copper-Tantalum-Lithium) alloy with exceptional thermal stability and mechanical strength, making it one of the most resilient copper-based materials ever created. The alloy holds its shape under extreme, long-term thermal exposure and mechanical stress, resisting deformation even near its melting point. The material paves the way for next-generation applications, including heat exchangers, advanced propulsion systems and thermal management solutions for cutting-edge missile and hypersonic technologies.

The ARL and Lehigh researchers collaborated with scientists from Arizona State University and Louisiana State University to develop the alloy. The team synthesized the alloy using powder metallurgy and high-energy cryogenic milling, ensuring a fine-scale nanostructure.

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory was awarded a U.S. patent (US 11,975,385 B2) for the alloy, highlighting its strategic significance, particularly in defense applications like military heat exchangers, propulsion systems and hypersonic vehicles.

This research was supported by the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, the National Science Foundation, and the Lehigh University Presidential Nano-Human Interfaces (NHI) Initiative, which fosters innovation in nanotechnology. Lehigh’s longstanding partnership with ARL, spanning more than a decade, has been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of materials science.