Researchers at NASA are "investigating promising advances" in high-temperature materials that can be used to make turbine engines run more efficiently, the agency said last week. The materials, called ceramic-matrix composites, or CMCs, are lighter and stronger than the metal alloys used today, and can withstand the extremely high temperatures of 2700 degrees Fahrenheit and more that are generated in the core of jet engines. In general, the hotter an engine runs, the better the fuel efficiency. "CMCs are in a position to replace the nickel-based super-alloy metals in today's aircraft engines," according to NASA's news release.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/recent-updates/business-military/nasa-research-aims-to-improve-engine-performance