Rolls-Royce’s U.S. branch has acquired the exclusive rights to use a new heat-resistant turbine blade coating invented by Iowa State University. The coating improves the durability and reliability of the ceramic thermal barrier applied to the blades to withstand metal temperatures approaching 2,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Oxidation resistance is improved by the coating, which is made from a composition based on platinum, nickel, aluminum and hafnium. Rolls-Royce said the development is a “new concept in coatings and a real step forward in our understanding of how coatings work.”