Quaternary Copper Alloy for Rocket Engine Thrust Chambers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing copper alloy materials used in aerospace-grade components exhibit poor high-temperature mechanical properties, leading to issues such as comb-shaped cracks and degradation of the thrust chamber's inner wall in hydrogen-oxygen rocket engines.
Innovation Solution
A copper alloy material with a composition of 2.0-7.0% Cr, 1.0-5.0% Nb, 0.1-2.0% Ag, 0.1-0.7% Zr, 0.02-0.3% RE (with RE comprising 88-93% La, 6-9% Ce, 1.5-1.9% Pr, and Nd ≤ 0.3%), and the balance of Cu, prepared through vacuum induction melting, machining, and plasma spheroidization, to enhance high-temperature mechanical properties.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional centrifugal casting or forging spinning methods are used to produce binary or ternary copper alloys, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the high-temperature mechanical properties are poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite material principles by developing a quaternary copper alloy system (Cu-Cr-Nb-Zr) with carefully controlled compositions. The alloy contains 2.0-7.0% Cr, 1.0-5.0% Nb, 0.1-2.0% Zr, and 0.02-0.3% RE (rare earth elements), creating a multi-element composite structure that synergistically improves high-temperature mechanical properties including strength, creep resistance, and fatigue resistance while maintaining manufacturability through established vacuum induction melting processes
2Reliability
If existing copper alloy materials are used in hydrogen-oxygen rocket engine thrust chambers, then the thermal conductivity is adequate, but comb-shaped cracks and high-temperature creep occur after several hot tests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by systematically adjusting the chemical composition parameters of the copper alloy. Specifically, it optimizes the content ranges of Cr (2.0-7.0%), Nb (1.0-5.0%), Zr (0.1-2.0%), and RE (0.02-0.3%) to achieve superior high-temperature performance. This compositional parameter optimization enables the alloy to resist comb-shaped cracks and high-temperature creep, extending service life in harsh thermal environments
3Strength
If binary or ternary copper alloys are used, then the material composition is simple, but the high-temperature strength and creep resistance are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs composite material strategies by integrating four key alloying elements (Cr, Nb, Zr, and RE) in specific proportions to create a quaternary copper alloy system. This multi-element composite approach leverages synergistic effects: Cr provides solid solution strengthening, Nb and Zr contribute to precipitation hardening and creep resistance, while RE elements refine grain structure and enhance high-temperature properties, achieving superior high-temperature strength without excessive complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The copper alloy material demonstrates significantly improved high-temperature mechanical properties, including high-temperature strength, creep resistance, fatigue resistance, and thermal conductivity, effectively addressing the limitations of existing copper alloys.
Implementation Method 1
heating from a room temperature to a first temperature at a first heating rate and holding the first temperature; heating from the first temperature to the second temperature at a second heating rate and holding the second temperature; and heating from the second temperature to a final temperature at a third heating rate
Implementation Method 2
conducting plasma spheroidization and rotating electrode atomization under vacuum and a protective atmosphere with the copper alloy electrode bar as an anode
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a copper alloy material, a preparation method therefor and use thereof, and belong to the technical field of additive manufacturing. The copper alloy material provided by the present disclosure includes the following components by mass percentage: 2.0-7.0% of Cr, 1.0-5.0% of Nb, 0.1-2.0% of Ag, 0.1-0.7% of Zr, 0.02-0.3% of RE, and the balance of Cu. The RE includes the following components by mass percentage: 88-93% of La, 6-9% of Ce, 1.5-1.9% of Pr, and Nd less than or equal to 0.3%, and a sum of mass is 100%. By means of the synergistic effect among RE, Cr, Nb, Ag, Zr and Cu in the present disclosure, thermal conductivity, high-temperature creep property, high-temperature strength, and high-temperature fatigue of the copper alloy material are effectively improved, and the problem of poor high-temperature mechanical properties of a copper alloy material in the prior art is solved.