New heat resistant material breakthrough gives hypersonic flight a boost
Materials that don't react to heat, or cold could make structures safer and solve one of the aerospace industry's most troublesome issues.
Key takeaways
- Most materials expand when they're heated, which can be a huge engineering challenge.
- Using this technique, the team printed an object with an internal lattice structure with several beams arranged at specific angles.
- The different materials that make up the object expand at different rates, and together the expansion pulls the beams inward.
Cite or link to this article
Griffin, M. (2016) 'New heat resistant material breakthrough gives hypersonic flight a boost', 311 Institute, 10 November. Available at: https://www.311institute.com/new-heat-resistant-material-breakthrough-gives-hypersonic-flight-a-boost/ (Accessed: 1 October 2026).
Researchers at the University of Southern California have been trying to make a material that doesn't respond to heat, and it seems they're getting close and if they're able to create this wonder material it could have big applications in aerospace, construction and engineering.
Most materials expand when they're heated, which can be a huge engineering challenge. Large structures like bridges and buildings need to have expansion joints built in that allow the structure to expand safely without suffering damage, while at the same time companies like BAE, Boeing and Lockheed have to grapple with the laws of thermodynamics that, all too often, tear their newest hypersonic jets and gliders, such as the HTV-2 apart. When objects are made from two different materials that expand at different rates when heated, they can crack or shatter and that's not a great scenario when you're, for example, building skyscrapers or other large buildings.
So USC designed a manufacturing process where 3D printed structure can be made from several different materials. These materials are first printed as a liquid and solidified using UV light. Using this technique, the team printed an object with an internal lattice structure with several beams arranged at specific angles. The different materials that make up the object expand at different rates, and together the expansion pulls the beams inward.
The end result is that the object contracts, instead of expands, when heated. But by using different materials and different lattice arrangements, the team hopes to be able to customise the expansion and contraction rates, and even create a material that doesn't expand at all, then, finally we might have material that can make our buildings and bridges safer and, more importantly we might be able to travel from London to San Francisco in 45 minutes.
What this means for your organisation
Thermal expansion is a costly constraint.
Bridges and buildings need expansion joints, and aircraft parts crack when materials move at different rates. Removing that movement simplifies design. Engineering teams should identify where expansion drives their costs.
Structure, not chemistry, does the work.
The effect comes from how beams are arranged, not from a new substance. Printing several materials together makes that possible. Expect designed structures to deliver properties materials cannot.
Tunability is the goal.
The team wants to customise expansion rates and reach zero movement. Different applications need different behaviour. Follow whether the effect holds at useful sizes and temperatures.
Three questions for your next leadership meeting
- Where does thermal expansion limit our designs or add cost?
- Could printed multi-material parts replace components we buy?
- What temperatures and sizes would make this useful to us?
The trends and technologies behind this story
From the 311 Starburst, the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit’s map of the technologies and trends shaping the next 50 years.
Analysis by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit, from Matthew Griffin’s article and 311 data. First published on Fanatical Futurist.
FAQ
Why does this matter?
Materials that don't react to heat, or cold could make structures safer and solve one of the aerospace industry's most troublesome issues.
About the author
Matthew Griffin Founder, President and Futurist, 311 Institute
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath."
Read full bio
Matthew Griffin is a multi-award winning Futurist and expert in Disruption and Innovation, Geopolitics, Leadership, and Technology, who NASA have described as a "walking encyclopaedia of the future" and a "futurist Polymath." 17-time best selling author of the "Codex of the Future" series, Matthew is the Founder, President and Futurist of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm working with royal households, world leaders, G7, G20, and G77 governments, NGOs, and multi-national mid and mega cap firms to help them explore, shape, and lead the next 50 years of business and society.
An award-winning YouTube creator with over a million followers, with an unrivalled global reach and impact, Matthew is a highly sought-after international keynote speaker, lecturer, and mentor who collaborates with global leaders through the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to shape pivotal initiatives such as the UN’s AI for Humanity program, the United Nations Conference of the Parties (UN COP), and the World Economic Forum in Davos.
As the former Global Head of Cloud, National Security, and Enterprise Sales for companies including Atos, Dell-EMC, and IBM, Matthew has a proven track record of building multi-billion dollar business units and turning failing divisions into market leaders. His ability to identify, analyse, and communicate the implications of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends is unparalleled, and his insights are trusted by many of the world’s most respected organisations, including ABB, Accenture, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi, Coca-Cola, Dentons, Deloitte, Dow Jones, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Microsoft, PepsiCo, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, Siemens AG and Siemens Energy, T-Mobile, UBS, VISA, Walmart, Workday, Worldpay and many others.
Regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, Matthews mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.
What future do you need to see?
Choose one to get started on industry and manufacturing and the future of your organisation.
Sources and further reading
- University of Southern California usc.edu
- doesn't respond to heat news.usc.edu
Source: first published by the 311 Institute on 10 November 2016. Cite as: Griffin, M. (2016). New heat resistant material breakthrough gives hypersonic flight a boost. 311 Institute. https://www.311institute.com/new-heat-resistant-material-breakthrough-gives-hypersonic-flight-a-boost/
You are welcome to quote this article with credit and a link to the original.