GKN Aerospace has partnered with North Carolina-based titanium developer IperionX to deliver titanium plate test components manufactured with IperionX’s titanium angular powder and powder metallurgy techniques.
Starting from the successful testing and validation of IperionX’s 100% recycled titanium powder made from GKN Aerospace’s scrap titanium feedstocks, this partnership primarily centers on producing high-performance titanium plates for GKN Aerospace’s testing. At its conclusion, it leaves room for the possibility of future collaboration between GKN Aerospace and IperionX, extending even to projects affiliated with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
“GKN Aerospace is a leader in sustainability and the precision manufacturing of titanium components for the aerospace, space, and military markets,” said Taso Arima, CEO of IperionX. “We are very proud to be working with GKN Aerospace to commercialize our market leading high-performance and sustainable titanium products.”
IperionX’s novel titanium production technologies
IperionX will utilize its patented Hydrogen Sintering and Phase Transformation (HSPT) technologies to enhance the microstructure of titanium. This results in improved strength and fatigue properties similar to those found in traditional wrought titanium alloys.
The manufacturer’s product line includes various high-performance titanium powders and products suitable for the aerospace, defense, space, hydrogen, automotive, and consumer electronics sectors. This includes conventional titanium plate, bar, and rod products, as well as high-performance ‘near-net shape’ titanium components aimed at enhancing sustainability and manufacturing efficiency.
Known for its high strength-to-weight ratio and resistance to extreme temperatures and corrosion, titanium has been mass-produced using the same ‘Kroll Process’ since the 1940s. However, this method is energy-intensive, costly, and results in significant greenhouse gas emissions.
IperionX’s patented titanium production technologies offer a more sustainable alternative, producing high-strength titanium products with reduced energy usage and costs and zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions. With limited domestic primary titanium production capacity in the U.S., which imports over 95% of its required titanium, IperionX seeks to reshore titanium mineral and metal production, enhancing the supply chain with cost-effective, sustainable solutions.
Sustainable titanium production
Researchers from RMIT University and the University of Sydney, in collaboration with Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Hexagon‘s Manufacturing Intelligence division, developed a new class of strong, ductile, and sustainable titanium alloys. These alloys offer the potential for affordable high-performance applications in aerospace, biomedical, chemical engineering, space, and energy fields. The team integrated alloy and 3D printing process design, using Laser Directed Energy Deposition (L-DED) to create these alloys. Lead researcher Professor Ma Qian emphasized the circular economy integration. These alloys can be crafted from waste materials and lower-quality resources, without the need for costly additives like vanadium and aluminum, relying instead on abundant and affordable oxygen and iron.
IperionX provided multinational automotive manufacturer Ford, with 100% recycled, low-carbon titanium. This alliance is in line with Ford’s commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. The partnership involved the design, testing, and 3D printing of titanium components for future Ford Performance production vehicles. Additionally, IperionX’s titanium has the advantage of full recyclability at the end of a product’s life, enhancing component sustainability. This contributes to the establishment of a circular, low-carbon automotive supply chain, an achievement not feasible with other commercially available titanium production methods.
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Featured image shows GKN’s Atmospheric Research Aircraft in-flight. Image via GKN Aerospace.
