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Glassy metals
I read an article in Discover magazine about a class of materials that
are like metals but 3 to 6 times higher strength. They are created by mixing various larger atoms into metal alloys. They can be melted and cast into forms giving a precise shape and correct dimensions. When they solidify they remain shiny, they do not cristallize. When I read about these I immediatly thought of cars that weigh 400 lbs instead of 2000. We can use these in heat shields or structures of airplanes and spacecraft. Zoltan |
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Glassy metals
(Zoltan Szakaly) wrote in message . com...
I read an article in Discover magazine about a class of materials that are like metals but 3 to 6 times higher strength. Important question: 3 to 6 times stronger than which metals? Looking at the www.liquidmetal.com website, it seems their Zr-based alloys have a yield strength of about 275000psi. Which is high, but there are stronger steels. For example, the various maraging steel alloys range from 250 to 350ksi, about 5 to 7 times as strong as the sheet steel in your car. (I also have to comment that www.liquidmetal.com is also filled with a lot of marketing hype, to the point that "liquid metal" is portrayed against an incomplete range of alloys. You don't see the steel alloys that are stronger than "liquid metal," nor do you hear about the difficulties in shaping and forming the stuff.) They can be melted and cast into forms giving a precise shape and correct dimensions. Getting them cast into their final shape is good, because I understand they're a complete pain to machine. When I read about these I immediatly thought of cars that weigh 400 lbs instead of 2000. Good luck forming cars out of those amorphous metals. The inexpensive forming operations favored for car components (rolling, stamping, welding) probably would not work well with "liquid metal". You'd be stuck with expensive casting operations for the whole body, and I suspect the cost of "liquid metal" is pretty high. Zirconium isn't as cheap as iron or carbon steel. Automakers are not avoiding advanced materials because the materials in cars are already super-strong. Rather, they're avoiding many weight reducing materials because the advanced materials are too expensive or too difficult to form. This is why you only see structural carbon-carbon or carbon-epoxy composites in no-expense-spared racing cars, and why titanium only finds a few niche applications within cars. We can use these in heat shields or structures of airplanes and spacecraft. I suspect that if "liquid metal" were used in a heat shield, it would melt or at least devitrify/crystallize after the first re-entry. Further, there ARE materials used in the aerospace industry that deliver better strength and strength-to-weight performance than "liquid metal." The commercial aircraft industry is somewhat like the car industry - it sticks to aluminum because aluminum has an adequate balance of cost, strength, weight, and formability. "Liquid metal" might be strong enough and light enough for aircraft, but I doubt it can economically replace aluminum. Mike Miller, Materials Engineer |
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Glassy metals
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Glassy metals
I thinking much the same Zoltan.. Theyt are lighter, you can spread them
thinner. Such as the skin of an aircraft, or as a covering for an older aircraft. Maybe even make a better unibody car or aircraft or space plane? Mike Zoltan Szakaly wrote: I read an article in Discover magazine about a class of materials that are like metals but 3 to 6 times higher strength. They are created by mixing various larger atoms into metal alloys. They can be melted and cast into forms giving a precise shape and correct dimensions. When they solidify they remain shiny, they do not cristallize. When I read about these I immediatly thought of cars that weigh 400 lbs instead of 2000. We can use these in heat shields or structures of airplanes and spacecraft. Zoltan |
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Glassy metals
On other tact, the magenetic properties, what are they and any ideas on
how to use them? Bullet traines or what? Mike James Moughan wrote: (Zoltan Szakaly) wrote in message . com... I read an article in Discover magazine about a class of materials that are like metals but 3 to 6 times higher strength. They are created by mixing various larger atoms into metal alloys. They can be melted and cast into forms giving a precise shape and correct dimensions. When they solidify they remain shiny, they do not cristallize. When I read about these I immediatly thought of cars that weigh 400 lbs instead of 2000. We can use these in heat shields or structures of airplanes and spacecraft. Zoltan Last time I read up on these, they had some... undesirable properties. With reasonable heating they loose their amorphous aspect and with it almost all structural strength; also they are similar to glasses in that they are brittle, i.e. they shatter just like glass. Not great in a car crash. They have some interesting applications, like machine parts with very low friction and outstanding resistance to wear. But I wouldn't want to build an SSTO from them. Btw, if you want to produce them in large quantities, it's a whole lot easier in orbit... :-) |
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Glassy metals
CDs that last for nearly for ever?
Good long lasting generators, effiecient power output, so you have less going cause of friction? Mike Mike Miller wrote: Abrigon Gusiq wrote in message ... On other tact, the magenetic properties, what are they and any ideas on how to use them? Ferromagnetic amorphous metals are of quite a bit of interest in electrical applications like transformers and solenoids. Bullet traines or what? Rather more mundane than that. Transformers, solenoids, power supplies, magnetic data media, etc. http://www.wtec.org/loyola/nano/US.Review/05_05.htm http://www.reade.com/Products/Alloys...us-metals.html Mike Miller, Materials Engineer |
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Glassy metals
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