Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-04-05
New Hedt Resistant
Metal Alloys Formed
Stainless Steel Substitute
Useful in Jet Engines
By Thomos R. Henry

Development Of whole new family
Of metal alloys about as resistant AZ
stainless steel to very high temperatures
and from 20 to Is per cent lighter has
been accomplished by scientists Of the
Naval Ordnance Laboratory here.
These alloys. the basis Of which is an
alloy called thermenol. promise to be
adequate substitutes for stainless steel
in many applications and are partic-
ularly valuable because they do not
involve materials critical for national
defense which might become quite
scarce in war. While the thermenol
formula is not given. the high temper
allure characteristics are due in part
to additions of quite small amounts Of
such metals as vanadium and molyb-
denum. according to the laboratory
announcement.
In addition to it's light weight, ther-
menol has high tensile strength and
high resistance to rusting. Labora-
tory tests indicate it will be suitable
material for jet engines. the metal Of
which Is subject to extreme temper
atureS.
Better Than Some Stainless Steel.
Preliminary tests" says the an
nouncement, indicate that thermenol
is better than some forms of stainless
Steel" Metallurgists are particularly in
terested because Of the possibilities it
raises Tor elimination Of the traditional
ana now scarce alloying materials.
Previous high temperature alloys have
required relatively large percentages
OF such metals as cobalt, nickel and
chromium, all in very short supply
since World War II.
The elimination Of these materials
ana the lighter weight in relation to
STAINLESS steel may point q new road
10 the elimination of weight in Jet
engines. Physical characteristics of
thermenol may make possible its sub
Stltutlon Tor sheet stainless steel in
such applications as jet tail cones or
exhaust systems. Due to its high cleo
trlcal resistivity 1t may also find q
Wloe use In such items as heater ele-
ments IN coasters, low temperature
furnaces, and other electrical appli-
anceS.
Long Extinct Tillodonts.
Test tubes of evolution were the TIL
lodonts.
They were creatures about the size
OF large bears with incisor teeth that
might have belonged to enormous rats.
In whose bones are found characteristics
suggestive of half dozen types of
present-day. mammals. =
They existed over q large part of
the Northern Hemisphere about so mil
lion years ago. This strange order of
primitive mammals is described In a
report just issued by the Smithsonian
Institution, the result of a long study
by DIR. G. Lewis Gain.
Only few skulls and partial skele-
tons have been found, but teeth and
small bone fragments are not uncom-
mon. Most of these finds have been
in the Rocky Mountain area, but ex-
ampleS have been found in New Jersey.
France and China.
The race apparently lived from 10
to IL million years. In the beginning
they appear to have existed in con-
siderable numbers, but during most of
their early history they were all of
one unspecialized species. Later an
parently they became scarce and more
differentiated.
No Animals Like Them. a.
They left no descendants, nor are
Cnere any existing animals remotely
like them. Appearance of what seem
10 be some OF the same characteristics in
other animals probably is the result of
convergent evolution-a tendency to re.
spond in the same general way to SIM
liar environmental conditions.
Despite the very prominent incisor
teeth, probably used for gnawing bark
from trees. they certainly cannot be
CLASSIFIED as anything resembling big
rats, DR.. Gain says. Likewise no real
relationship can be found with any of
the great families of carnivores, despite
the possible bear-like general appear
ance.
Apparently the tillodonts found life
TOO difficult some time in the middle
Eocene geological period, about As mil
lion years ago. They may have been
unable to cope with major change in
climate.