Feb 25, 2020   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Veloxint Selected for Department of Energy Grant to Accelerate Innovation in the Manufacture of Advanced Nanocrystalline Metal Alloys

The US Department of Energy Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) has selected Veloxint Corporation for a 3-year grant under the category of Innovations for the Manufacture of Advanced Materials. The project will bring together a world class industrial-government-academic team consisting of GE Research (GE), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), University of Kentucky (UK), and Veloxint to develop and scale next generation nanocrystalline metal alloys via advanced manufacturing processes. The new metals will be stronger and lighter with excellent corrosion, wear and heat resistance, and the team will demonstrate lightweight engine blades from these metals with the potential for substantial improvements in specific fuel consumption of commercial aircrafts.

“We are excited the DOE has chosen to support this high-impact advanced manufacturing R&D project,” said Veloxint CEO, Dr. Alan Lund. “Our fantastic project team, including our partners GE, ORNL, and UK, is now well positioned to advance this transformational technology. The DOE’s support will allow Veloxint to pursue its vision of bolstering the competitiveness of the domestic manufacturing sector and creating hundreds of domestic advanced manufacturing jobs. This is an excellent example of public/private partnership advancing American manufacturing technology and strengthening our nation’s advanced manufacturing workforce.”

“Nanocrystalline metal alloys represents the next frontier of lightweight, more durable metals crucial in transforming critical infrastructure like jet engines and power generation equipment that transport and power the world,” said Dr. Andy Detor, a Principal Scientist at GE Research. “For many decades, GE metallurgists have pioneered the development of some of the world’s most advanced metal alloys that have redefined the efficiency and reliability of turbomachinery. We’re proud to be partnering with such an innovative start-up like Veloxint, which is blazing new pathways with their unique nano-enabled technology.”

“This is an exciting opportunity for our research team—and the University of Kentucky,” said Professor Matt Beck. “UK and the state of Kentucky are committed not only to developing next generation technologies addressing global problems—but also to building domestic manufacturing capability and capacity, and to training a next-generation workforce. DOE support for this project allows us to do all three of these things.”

Veloxint technology combines proprietary alloy and process design approaches to produce nano-enabled alloys that are lighter, stronger, and more heat resistant than current industrial metals. Maturing of Veloxint’s technology platform will have widespread applicability in transportation and energy applications resulting in huge sustainability impact through energy savings and carbon footprint reduction.

About Veloxint Corporation
Veloxint is an MIT-incubated start-up based in Framingham, MA. Winner of the 2018 Platts Global Metals- Breakthrough Solution of the Year award, Veloxint is industrializing next generation, nano-enabled metal alloys for advanced manufacturing and lightweighting. Components made from Veloxint alloys are designed to outlast and outperform metal components across transportation, consumer goods, defense and other industrial markets. To learn more about Veloxint, visit https://www.veloxint.com/

About GE Research
GE Research is GE’s innovation powerhouse where research meets reality. We are a world-class team of scientific, engineering and marketing minds working at the intersection of physics and markets, physical and digital technologies, and across a broad set of industries to deliver world-changing innovations and capabilities for our customers. To learn more, visit our website at https://www.ge.com/research/.

About University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky College of Engineering is creating a world that works by generating, transferring and preserving knowledge across the engineering disciplines, and by preparing professionals ready to sustain societal well-being. To learn more, visit https://www.engr.uky.edu/