C103 Powder is a high-performance niobium-based alloy powder. Its core composition consists of niobium (Nb) with approximately 10% hafnium (Hf) and 1% titanium (Ti). It exhibits exceptional mechanical properties and thermal stability under extreme high-temperature and high-stress conditions, making it a critical material for cutting-edge fields such as aerospace, nuclear energy, and additive manufacturing.
C103 powder boasts the following ultra-high performance characteristics:
Ultra-High Melting Point and Thermal Stability: With a melting point as high as 2468°C, it maintains structural integrity at temperatures between 1200–1400°C. Its tensile strength can exceed 85 MPa, representing an approximate 40% improvement over traditional niobium alloys. This makes it ideal for hot-end components like rocket engine nozzles and combustion chambers.
Excellent High-Temperature Strength and Ductility: It achieves a room-temperature tensile strength of 380–450 MPa, an elongation rate of ≥20%, and a reduction of area of ≥40%. It combines high strength with good plasticity, allowing it to withstand complex loads and thermal cycling shocks.
Outstanding Oxidation and Corrosion Resistance: When paired with an HfC-SiC gradient coating, its oxidation rate at 1400°C can be controlled to ≤0.5 mg/cm²·h. This effectively prevents high-temperature oxidation "pest" (powdering), ensuring long-term service reliability.
Low Density and Lightweight Advantages: Its density is only one-third that of nickel-based superalloys, which significantly reduces the structural weight of aircraft and improves payload efficiency. For example, after SpaceX adopted C103 for the Falcon 9 rocket, the thermal protection system achieved a 15% weight reduction.
Superior Additive Manufacturing Compatibility: Spherical C103 powder offers excellent flowability and high densification. It is highly suitable for 3D printing processes such as SLM, EBM, and DED-LP. This enables the integrated forming of complex geometries, drastically reducing material waste (traditional forging scrap rates are as high as 95%) while achieving print densification rates of over 99.94%.
