AyontEX Alloy Chosen for NASA Telescope Mirror Prototype

The 1.25-meter mirror manufactured from this high-performance product will be evaluated for performance in space environments. The alloy is integral to optimized optical, thermal, structural, and dynamic mirror performance characteristics.

One of Materion Corporation’s newer high-performance products, AyontEX alloy, has been selected for use in a NASA-funded telescope mirror prototype. This 1.25-meter mirror will be tested at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center’s X-ray Cryogenic Test Facility to evaluate performance in space environments.

The project, led by Outpost Technologies, a space and defense solutions company, aims to produce low-cost, large diameter cryogenic mirror products under a NASA Astrophysics Research and Analysis grant award. In response to a NASA request for information, Outpost submitted a detailed technical paper which included the use of AyontEX and was selected for funding and participation in the development project. If successful, AyontEX 13 mirrors could be used in future space exploration.

AyontEX mirror blank front (left) and back (right) from Materion Corporation.

What is AyontEX alloy? 

Materion’s AyontEX alloys are manufactured using precision powder metallurgy (PM) to ensure refined grain structure and enhanced mechanical properties. This results in higher silicon (Si) loading than would normally be achieved through conventional melting processes. This effectively decreases the material’s coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) to match that of nickel (Ni).

As technologies become more complex, they require highly specialized materials that deliver specific properties, often in weight- and size-restricted applications. AyontEX 13 alloy was specifically developed for reflective optical systems. Having a good CTE match to Ni enables the production of the Ni-plated reflective surface, with low thermal mismatch strains between substrate and Ni-plating over the broad operating temperature range associated with space. This eliminates the negative bi-metallic effects, such as bi-metallic corrosion, bi-metallic strips (uneven expansion), and bi-metallic catalysts. “The material supports Ni-plating without bi-metallic distortion across the mirror’s operating temperature range. Along with low density and high stiffness, this results in good quality reflective optics. AyontEX alloy has other desirable properties as a mirror substrate material including good specific stiffness and isotropic properties, and it can be easily machined,” said Martyn Acreman, defense market director at Materion Corporation.

What else can AyontEX be used for? 

AyontEX 13 material is specifically designed as a mirror substrate and that is the current focus. However, AyontEX 17, which matches copper’s CTE, is ideal for structural heatsinks. It is robust enough to hold electronic components in weight-sensitive, thermal management applications, and is an excellent choice for thermal management materials in automotive power electronics. In several motorsport applications, AyontEX 4632 AlSi alloy can replace conventional aluminum alloys such as AA4032 and AA2618. AyontEX 4632 provides greater elevated temperature fatigue resistance versus conventional aluminum alloy solutions. Specifically, for piston components it enables weight reduction and improved stability despite the high temperatures associated with internal combustion engines.

AyontEX alloy is integral to optimized optical, thermal, structural, and dynamic mirror performance characteristics. “We have supplied materials for many NASA programs starting with the first Mercury capsule, the space shuttle and James Webb Space Telescope to name just a few,” said Clive Grannum, president, Materion Performance Materials. “We’re committed to engineering innovative materials systems that meet property requirements used in challenging operating environments for space as well as the aerospace, automotive, semiconductor, and defense markets.”

Working with Outpost Technologies, the Materion team will also optimize design and manufacturing processes to shorten lead times and reduce costs for terrestrial and space optical programs.

Visit the Preferred Supplier page for Materion Corporation to learn more about the company and its products.

Like this article? Check out our other Materials, Harsh Environment articles, our Connector & Cable Special Topics Market Page and our 2024 and 2025 Article Archives.

Subscribe to our weekly e-newsletters, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, and check out our eBook archives for more applicable, expert-informed connectivity content.