Ultra-Strong and Ductile: Cobalt-Aluminum Nanolaminate Redefines Intermetallics

Purdue researchers engineered a cobalt-aluminum intermetallic nanolaminate with a framework of amorphous interfaces and preexisting dislocations via magnetron sputtering, achieving a room-temperature yield strength around 6 GPa and about 15% compressive plastic strain, making it roughly 6–10 times stronger than high-strength structural steel while remaining ductile. The material is demonstrated in nanoscale thin films, not bulk turbine components yet, but the approach could be generalized to other intermetallics to design both high strength and deformability for aerospace, energy, and defense applications.