China's new alloy can withstand temperatures up to 2,400°C

Researchers at China's Xi'an Jiaotong University developed a tantalum-based alloy that can withstand up to 2,400°C without losing its strength. By adding tiny amounts of hafnium boride to tantalum, they created stable hafnium oxide nanoparticles coated with boron, which acts like a protective layer. The alloy could be used in nuclear reactors and hypersonic vehicles.