MORGAN ADVANCED MATERIALS introduced P-59 ceramic, a high-silica core-type material with a fine particle size distribution. The P-59 material is a further development of the previous P-52, and according to Morgan it represents “a breakthrough into the high-stability realm of materials.”
P-59 is intended for directionally solidified (DS) and single-crystal (SX) investment castings with thin cross sections that P-52 and P-57 core material cannot address.
Used in investment casting of jet engine turbine blades, P-59 reportedly delivers critical benefits to the final product, such as increased fuel efficiency. In order to achieve greater efficiency, engines must run at extremely high temperatures which demands superior air cooling capabilities. One element of that air cooling capability is a small, thin, trailing edge portion of the core. With its fine particle-size distribution, P-59 is able to achieve a trailing edge that is up to 20% thinner than that produced by other materials.
Even with its fine particle size, P-59 is able to maintain other critical properties for investment casting, such as stability, crushability, and leachability.
In addition to the aerospace market, ceramic cores from Morgan are used regularly for castings of other products, including industrial gas turbine (IGT) blades for power generation.