What material is used for aircraft carrier propellers
The composition of seawater is complex, so the durability of the propeller has been severely tested. The earliest small boats were all made of wood. After the wood was soaked in water for a long time, the interior of the wood was empty due to corrosion. It was not used for a long time and there were safety risks; later, it was gradually replaced with metal. The use of metal as a ship's propeller puts high demands on its oxidation resistance and corrosion resistance.
The first metal used in the propellers of large ships was brass. But soon, the shortcomings of brass were exposed. When the speed of the ship is high, the brass blades are required to be thick, which will inevitably cause the propeller itself to be too heavy and increase the wear of the bearings. Because of the high speed of the brass blade, the cavitation corrosion on the surface will be aggravated, and the part often immersed in water is prone to dezincification corrosion.
The material currently used for propellers is a special copper alloy. Because of the consideration of performance, corrosion resistance and oxidation resistance, the requirements of aircraft carrier propellers are much higher than those of ordinary ship propellers. Therefore, some other metals must be added. The black technology of ship propeller casting requires high precision and craftsmanship. Relatively complex, clear ingredients and proportions are naturally secret.
