https://news.lehigh.edu/new-material-gives-copper-superalloy-like-strength-0 Search the Lehigh Website[ ] Search X Skip to main content Lehigh University Pathing navigation * Students, Faculty & Staff * Parents * Visitors * Alumni Search the Lehigh website * About About + University Statistics + University Leadership + University Strategic Plan + Bethlehem & the Lehigh Valley + News + Events & Venues + The Perch + Maps & Directions + Inclusive Excellence and Belonging + Jobs + History Facts icon Learn LU Facts Maps icon Find Maps Events icon View Events * Academics Academics + Undergraduate Studies + Majors and Undergraduate Programs + Graduate and Professional Studies + Faculty + Interdisciplinary Studies + Entrepreneurship and Innovation + Creative Inquiry + Continuing Education + Provost & Academic Affairs + International Affairs + University Catalog + Summer Programs Our Colleges: + College of Arts and Sciences + College of Business + College of Education + College of Health + P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science Undergraduate Programs icon Browse Undergrad Majors Graduate Programs icon Browse Grad Programs * Research Research + Research Centers & Institutes + Student Research Experience + Office of Research + Graduate Education & Life Research Review icon Read Research Review Mountaintop icon Learn about Mountaintop * Admissions Admissions + Undergraduate Admissions + Applying to Lehigh + Visits & Tours + Tuition, Aid & Affording College + Admission Statistics + Majors & Programs + Academics at Lehigh + Student Life at Lehigh + Student Profiles + Success After Graduation + Lehigh Launch + Contact Us & Admissions Counselors Information for: + Transfer Students + International Students + School Counselors + Graduate Admissions Apply icon Apply Visit icon Visit Request Info icon Request Info * Student Life Student Life + Clubs & Organizations + Housing & Dining + Student Health & Campus Safety + Arts & Athletics + Advocacy Centers + Student Support & Transition to College Clubs and Orgs icon Get Involved Housing icon Browse Housing Safety Info icon View Safety Info * Athletics Athletics + Prospective Student Athletes + Radio & TV Broadcasts + Camps & Clinics + Venues & Directions + Campus Athletics + Tickets Watch Live icon Watch Live Tickets icon Buy Tickets Store icon Browse Store * Giving Giving + GO Beyond: The Campaign for Future Makers + Ways to Give + The Lehigh Fund + Matching Gift Program + Corporate & Foundation Relations + Contact Us Gift icon Make a Gift * Students, Faculty & Staff * Parents * Visitors * Alumni Menu Lehigh News * Features * Videos * Events * Media * All Stories Copper Alloy This groundbreaking nanostructured copper alloy that could redefine high-temperature materials for aerospace, defense and industrial applications. 1. News 2. New Material Gives Copper Superalloy-like Strength New Material Gives Copper Superalloy-like Strength Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... Breakthrough material could transform aerospace, defense and industrial applications. Share This Story Facebook icon Twitter icon LinkedIn icon Email icon Story by Editorial Services Posted on April 11, 2025 Tags Faculty Innovation P.C. Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science Research Materials Science and Engineering Researchers from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and Lehigh University have developed a groundbreaking nanostructured copper alloy that could redefine high-temperature materials for aerospace, defense and industrial applications. Their findings, published in the journal Science, introduce a 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. Lehigh's longstanding partnership with ARL, spanning more than a decade, has been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of materials science. This research was the result of a $25 million cooperative agreement between Lehigh and ARL to develop the next generation of metallic alloys. The research was also supported by the National Science Foundation and Lehigh's Presidential Nano-Human Interfaces (NHI) Initiative, a multi-disciplinary research effort which fosters innovation in nanotechnology. "This is cutting-edge science, developing a new material that uniquely combines copper's excellent conductivity with strength and durability on the scale of nickel-based superalloys," said Martin Harmer, the Alcoa Foundation Professor Emeritus of Materials Science and Engineering at Lehigh and a co-author of the study. "It provides industry and the military with the foundation to create new materials for hypersonics and high performance turbine engines." Martin Harmer Martin Harmer, the Alcoa Foundation Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Director of the Nano/Human Interface Presidential Research Initiative. The ARL and Lehigh researchers collaborated with scientists from Arizona State University and Louisiana State University to develop the alloy, which can withstand extreme heat without significant degradation. This and other innovative alloys will continue to be studied in Lehigh's newly outfitted high-tech research labs, the Nanoalloy Lab and Nanoceramics Lab, which include high-pressure torsion systems, nanoindentation equipment and specialized high-temperature furnaces. Combining Copper with a Complexion-Stabilized Nanostructure The breakthrough comes from the formation of Cu3Li precipitates, stabilized by a Ta-rich atomic bilayer complexion, a concept pioneered by the Lehigh researchers. Unlike typical grain boundaries that migrate over time at high temperatures, this complexion acts as a structural stabilizer, maintaining the nanocrystalline structure, preventing grain growth and dramatically improving high-temperature performance. The alloy holds its shape under extreme, long-term thermal exposure and mechanical stress, resisting deformation even near its melting point, noted Patrick Cantwell, a research scientist at Lehigh University and co-author of the study. By merging the high-temperature resilience of nickel-based superalloys with copper -- which is known for exceptional conductivity -- 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. A New Class of High-Performance Materials This new Cu-Ta-Li alloy offers a balance of properties not found in existing materials: * Nickel-based superalloys (used in jet engines) are extremely strong but lack the high thermal conductivity of copper alloys. * Tungsten-based alloys are highly heat-resistant but dense and difficult to manufacture. * This Cu-Ta-Li alloy combines copper's exceptional heat and electrical conductivity while remaining strong and stable at extreme temperatures. * While not a direct replacement for traditional superalloys in ultra-high temperature applications, it has the potential to complement them in next-generation engineering solutions. How the Researchers Made and Tested It The team synthesized the alloy using powder metallurgy and high-energy cryogenic milling, ensuring a fine-scale nanostructure. They then subjected it to: * 10,000 hours (over a year) of annealing at 800degC, testing its long-term stability. * Advanced microscopy techniques, revealing the Cu3Li precipitate structure. * Creep resistance experiments, confirming its durability under extreme conditions. * Computational modeling using density functional theory (DFT), which validated the stabilizing role of the Ta bilayer complexion. Patent, Funding and Future Work A project such as this takes years of careful work and collaboration, said Christopher Marvel '12 '16 Ph.D., an author of the paper and professor of mechanical engineering at Louisiana State University. "Lehigh has such a strong reputation for electron microscopy, and that is what interested the ARL in working with us on this material. It was our microscopy that was really key to understanding the material," said Marvel, who helped lead that portion of the research over a six-year period. "The Lehigh faculty have worked on many high-level research projects over the years, and they've all taught me different things that I apply now as an academic." The ARL 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. The work is just one of many collaborations between Lehigh and ARL which have resulted in significant discoveries, papers in high-profile publications, award-winning poster submissions and the placement of Lehigh students in prestigious fellowships. Alum Joshua Smeltzer '17 '23 Ph.D., now a design engineer at Honeywell, also contributed to the research, performing advanced microstructural characterization of the superalloy using Lehigh's Atomic Resolution Microscope (ARM). "Lehigh's ARM, a state-of-the-art electron microscope, is a unique instrument that enables scientists to analyze materials on the atomic scale," Smeltzer said. "In this work, the ARM was used to image the superalloy at the nano- and atomic-scales to provide a mechanistic explanation for the alloy's exceptional performance." Further research will include direct measurements of the alloy's thermal conductivity compared to nickel-based alternatives, work to ready it for potential applications, and the development of other high-temperature alloys following a similar design strategy. "This project is a great example of how federal investment in fundamental science drives American leadership in materials technology," Harmer said. "Scientific discoveries such as this are key to strengthening national security and fueling industrial innovation." Story by Dan Armstrong Lehigh has been named an R1 research university by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Universities with this designation conduct the highest level of research activity within the Carnegie Classification. Lehigh is the only university in the Lehigh Valley to have this designation, and one of seven in Pennsylvania. Learn more. Share This Story Facebook icon Twitter icon LinkedIn icon Email icon Story by Editorial Services Posted on April 11, 2025 Related Stories Kate Johnson '89 Lumen Technologies' Kate Johnson '89 to Address Graduates at Lehigh's 157th Undergraduate Commencement Johnson is president and chief executive officer at Lumen Technologies, a global technology and communications company, and a technology innovator with a proven track record of driving business transformation success at several Fortune 100 companies. 1 Audio Available Student presenting research to judges at a research fair. Lehigh Hosts Budding Scientists for 36th Annual Lehigh Valley Science & Engineering Research Fair The Lehigh-sponsored research fair showcased original scientific research from students in sixth through 12th grade. 1 Audio Available Clayton UC Successes Advancing Lehigh's Mission A letter from Lehigh President Joseph J. Helble in the Spring 2025 Alumni Bulletin. 1 Audio Available More Stories > Editorial Contacts Kristen DiPrinzio Director, University Communications Lauren Thein Stephen Gross Christina Tatu Media Contact For inquiries, visit the media page or contact: Amy White (610) 758-6656 abw210@lehigh.edu Lehigh University Communications and Public Affairs 301 Broadway, 4th Floor - Suite 400 Bethlehem, PA 18015 U.S.A. P: (610) 758-4487 Fax: (610) 758-5566 communications@lehigh.edu GO Beyond - The Campaign for Future Makers GO: The Campaign for Future MakersBe part of the most ambitious fundraising and engagement effort in Lehigh's history. Visit the campaign website now > Join the conversation * Follow Lehigh on Instagram * Follow Lehigh on Facebook * Watch Lehigh Videos on YouTube * Follow Lehigh on LinkedIn * Follow Lehigh Admissions on TikTok * Follow Lehigh on Threads * The Perch * Directory * Maps * Contact * Emergency Info * Web Accessibility * Lehigh Mobile Apps * Account Key * Terms of Use * Privacy * Higher Education Opportunity Act * Equitable Community * Non-Discrimination * Annual Security & Annual Fire Safety Report * Report a Concern Lehigh University logo 27 Memorial Drive West, Bethlehem, PA 18015 USA Phone: (610) 758-3000 (c) 2025 All Rights Reserved (c) 2025 All rights reserved.