Representatives from alloy producers, original equipment manufacturers, end users and other industrial stakeholders will join NETL and other national laboratories to review research plans and progress during the virtual 2020 eXtremeMAT Industrial Stakeholder Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2020.

Fossil energy transformational power technologies like ultra-supercritical steam plants and supercritical carbon-dioxide power systems have the potential to increase efficiencies and bolster clean coal efforts because they operate at higher temperatures and pressures. However, these technologies are subject to “extreme” operating environments – harsher and more corrosive conditions compared to those found in traditional power plants. Furthermore, today’s current fleet of fossil power plants are increasingly being subjected to cycling conditions due to the penetration of renewable energy sources into the electricity grid. Accelerating the development of improved steels, superalloys and other advanced alloys is of paramount importance in deploying materials solutions to address materials challenges associated with both the existing fleet and future power systems.

Initiated in October 2018, the NETL-led, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) eXtremeMAT consortium is meeting this need by employing physics-based models coupled with data analytics and machine learning to develop next-generation tools required to accelerate materials design and improve the prediction of materials and component performance in harsh environments.

The eXtremeMAT consortium consists of NETL and partner national laboratories: Ames Laboratory, Idaho National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and supports FE’s High Performance Materials program. eXtremeMAT leverages the world-leading expertise and capabilities resident in DOE’s complex associated with materials design, high-performance computing power, advanced manufacturing, in-situ characterization and performance assessment at condition in an integrated, collaborative and coordinated effort to address the materials challenges associated with advanced energy systems.

Over the last two years, eXtremeMAT has made significant progress on achieving its goals, including the following accomplishments:

•     Development of a suite of models to predict creep rupture life using a minimum of short-term creep tests. This model has been extended to multi-axial stresses and cyclic loading conditions.
•     Placement of a database platform on the NETL EDX site to curate experimental and simulation data and metadata required for material data analytics in expediting design and development and material property life prediction.
•     Design of alumina-forming alloys with exceptional creep life compared to existing commercial high‑performance, high-temperature stainless steels (e.g., alloys 347H, Super 304H and Sanicro25).

Continued success in the eXtremeMAT program will enable alloys to be fully optimized for current and future power generation cycles in less time. These high-performance materials will enable a variety of advanced energy systems that will increase efficiency, lower costs and reduce emissions from fossil-fired power cycles, ensuring affordable and reliable energy for the nation well into the future.

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Laboratory develops and commercializes advanced technologies that provide reliable and affordable solutions to America's energy challenges. NETL’s work supports DOE’s mission to advance the national, economic, and energy security of the United States.