Spray Processing of Oxide Dispersion Strengthened (ODS) Alloy GRX-810

Triton Systems, Inc. (Triton) is developing a high-rate, solid-state spray processing approach for oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) materials—specifically GRX-810—to enable superior mechanical, thermal, and oxidation performance in extreme service environments, such as rocket engines. Currently, GRX-810’s maturation is limited to laser powder bed fusion, which faces inherent scalability constraints in part size and build rate. By contrast, Triton’s proposed spray-based technique will accommodate larger part sizes, faster production rates, and both coating and bulk part applications. In Phase I, Triton will focus on powder engineering and early-stage process validation for producing fully dense GRX-810 coatings and bulk forms. This effort will include optimizing commercially available and Triton-customized powder formulations, conducting coupon-level spray trials, and performing microstructural and mechanical evaluations. Successful completion of Phase I is expected to advance the technology to TRL 3/4. During Phase II, Triton will build upon these results to mature the process toward TRL 5/6 by refining the spray methodology, enhancing throughput, and expanding scale-up capabilities. The requested funding will support Triton’s development of scalable manufacturing routes for high-temperature, high-performance ODS components. Key tasks include powder formulation research, process optimization, and validation testing in relevant operating conditions, all aimed at de-risking the technology for commercial and government stakeholders. Immediate applications include rocket engine components, turbine parts, and other extreme environment systems. Beyond aerospace and defense, high-temperature industrial sectors—such as power generation and chemical processing—can also benefit from Triton’s spray-based manufacturing of advanced ODS alloys for superior durability and performance.