The Future of Aerospace: NASA Glenn’s GRX-810 Alloy

Superalloys are known for their strength and corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures. They are often used in demanding environments. Thermal spray coatings further enhance these properties, allowing for higher operating temperatures and improved efficiency.

Developed by NASA’s Glenn Research Center (GRC), Cleveland, Ohio, GRX-810 is a revolutionary, high-temperature alloy purpose-built for additive manufacturing (AM). It promises unprecedented performance in aerospace propulsion systems operating at high temperatures — the type of application where traditional superalloys have reached their limits.

Linde Advanced Material Technologies (Linde AMT) has played a critical role in scaling GRX-810 from a research breakthrough into a commercially available product, making it accessible for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), designers, and engineers building the next generation of aerospace systems.

The Need for a Breakthrough Material

In propulsion and thermal systems — where temperatures routinely exceed 1000°C (1832°F) — materials must offer more than strength; they must deliver phase stability, oxidation resistance, and durability under extreme cyclic conditions. Traditional superalloys such as Inconel^® 718 have been reliable but are being pushed to the edge of their performance capabilities.

Recognizing this challenge, NASA GRC embarked on a materials development initiative in 2018 to engineer an alloy that could overcome existing materials’ thermal and mechanical limitations while remaining suitable for additive manufacturing. That effort resulted in GRX-810, a medium-entropy alloy (MEA) composed primarily of cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni) in near-equal parts.

GRX-810 is also an oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloy, reinforced with nano-scale ceramic oxide particles that are uniformly dispersed throughout its microstructure. This advanced composition gives GRX-810 extraordinarily high-temperature properties and the structural stability necessary for complex geometries printed via AM processes.

High Performance at Elevated Temperatures

In 2022, NASA released groundbreaking, property data on GRX-810 that caught the attention of the global materials community. Compared to Inconel 718, GRX-810 offers two times the tensile strength, two times the oxidation resistance, and 1000 times the creep rupture life. These metrics are validated at operating temperatures of 1093°C (2000°F), where conventional materials quickly degrade. With this level of performance, GRX-810 opens doors for long-life, high-reliability components such as combustor domes, fuel injectors, nozzles, and torch tubes — all of which are critical in propulsion systems for aircraft and space vehicles.

Linde AMT’s Collaboration with NASA

Bringing GRX-810 to the commercial market required more than a scientific breakthrough; it needed a partner with expertise in powder metallurgy, AM-specific atomization processes, and aerospace-grade quality standards. In 2023, NASA and Linde AMT initiated licensing discussions to collaborate on the scale-up and commercialization of GRX-810.

This partnership culminated in a licensing agreement in 2024, formally recognizing Linde AMT as a commercial partner for GRX-810 powder production and 
distribution.

As a global leader in vacuum induction melt argon gas atomization (VIM-AGA) technology, Linde AMT was uniquely positioned to take GRX-810 from bench-scale batches to commercial-scale powder production. With over five million pounds of powder atomized annually across multiple VIM units, and a robust infrastructure for AM-grade spherical powder production, they had the resources and technical capabilities to bring GRX-810 to market without 
compromise. 

Enabling the Future of Aerospace

For engineers and design teams, GRX-810 represents a new design envelope that supports the creation of lighter, more durable, and more efficient components in various aerospace platforms.

Its superior resistance to thermal fatigue and oxidation can extend service life, reduce maintenance costs, and contribute to more sustainable aerospace operations. It also paves the way for innovations in hypersonic flight, advanced propulsion systems, and space exploration missions — all of which demand materials that can perform under the most extreme conditions known to engineering.

For more information about GRX-810 powders and how to incorporate them into your AM or coating applications, visit linde-amt.com/AM.

This article was written by the Additive Manufacturing (AM) Group, Linde Advanced Material Technologies.