Nanoparticle-enhanced metals could radically change cars

MSN ^ | January 1, 2016 | Autoblog

[2ndDivisionVet]

UCLA scientists inject silicon carbide nanoparticles into a magnesium zinc alloy. The result is a metal with 'record breaking' strength and stiffness-to-weight.Scientists at UCLA have found a new way to inject silicon carbide nanoparticles into a molten alloy of magnesium and zinc, resulting a metal nanocomposite that demonstrates "record levels" of stiffness-to-weight and specific strength, and "superior stability" at high temperatures. Magnesium is already the lightest structural metal, this lab creation maintains its light weight but makes it much stronger. The researchers said they also developed a scalable manufacturing process, opening up a door to lighter and stronger cars, planes, medical devices, and electronics.

Silicon carbide is the ultra-hard material used in car clutches and carbon ceramic brakes. Nanoparticles have been injected into molten metal before, but the particles tend to clump together. The UCLA breakthrough came in getting silicon carbide nanoparticles to spread evenly throughout the molten magnesium, then using high-pressure torsion to compress the resulting metal and make it even stronger. By weight, the alloy is 14 percent silicon carbide, 86 percent magnesium. Head researcher Xiaochun Li said this first successful effort is "just scratching the surface of the hidden treasure for a new class of metals with revolutionary properties and functionalities."(continued)

[2ndDivisionVet]

I was just reading that a BMW supplier has found a way to make carbon fiber reinforced plastic much more inexpensively.

[Paladin2]

Precipitation Hardening has been around for a while. It’s much like the nano particle thing

[DennisR]

Magnesium + oxygen + flame = disaster.

[Jeff Chandler]

Nanoparticle-enhanced metals could radically change cars

And solve global warming.

[Dr. Sivana]

Is there enough magnesium available for mass automobile production?

[Farmer Dean]

I want to see more corrosion resistant materials used in cars.The state of Ohio is using calcium chloride on the roads and it just murders the under side of cars.

[McGruff]

The result is a metal with 'record breaking' strength and stiffness-to-weight

Don't know why but I immediately thought of better bullets, tank rounds or missiles.

[bigbob]

Cheap, plentiful, well supported manufacturing processes, recyclable, and more than adequate for the job...

Steel.

[fieldmarshaldj]

But what about making "shafer bullets for tha chidrun ?"

[M Kehoe]

Is that you Mr. Reardon?

I hope you are well, and had a Happy New Year.

5.56mm

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Better tools: "Lighter Magnesium Improves Power Tool Performance"

[imardmd1]

I wrote papers back in the '60s when metal/ceramic composites were of great interest, and later as a volunteer fireman was schooled in limiting and extinguishing magnesium fires. So I just can't wait to see what happens when a vehicle built of alloy principally constituted of magnesium alloy crashes and catches on fire.

Ought to be a hum-dinger, especially for the occupants.

[capt. norm]

[null and void]

Is there enough magnesium available for mass automobile production?

Magnesium is commercially extracted from sea water.

We'll be OK until we run out of that..

[RingerSIX]

Is that you Mr. Reardon?

Funny... that's the first thing that popped into my mind as well.

FReeper Book Club: Introduction to Atlas Shrugged
Part I, Chapter I: The Theme
Part I, Chapter II: The Chain
Part I, Chapter III: The Top and the Bottom
Part I, Chapter IV: The Immovable Movers
Part I, Chapter V: The Climax of the d’Anconias
Part I, Chapter VI: The Non-Commercial
Part I, Chapter VII: The Exploiters and the Exploited
Part I, Chapter VIII: The John Galt Line
Part I, Chapter IX: The Sacred and the Profane
Part I, Chapter X: Wyatt’s Torch
Part II, Chapter I: The Man Who Belonged on Earth
Part II, Chapter II: The Aristocracy of Pull
Part II, Chapter III: White Blackmail
Part II, Chapter IV: The Sanction of the Victim
Part II, Chapter V: Account Overdrawn
Part II, Chapter VI: Miracle Metal
Part II, Chapter VII: The Moratorium on Brains
Part II, Chapter VIII: By Our Love
Part II, Chapter IX: The Face Without Pain or Fear or Guilt
Part II, Chapter X: The Sign of the Dollar
Part III, Chapter I: Atlantis
Part III, Chapter II: The Utopia of Greed
Part III, Chapter III: Anti-Greed
Part III, Chapter IV: Anti-Life
Part III, Chapter V: Their Brothers’ Keepers
Part III, Chapter VI: The Concerto of Deliverance
Part III, Chapter VII: “This is John Galt Speaking”
Part III, Chapter VIII: The Egoist
Part III, Chapter IX: The Generator
Part III, Chapter X: In the Name of the Best Within Us
Coda: Ten Years After
Afterword and Suggested Reading

[Paladin2]

The Ocean is full of it.

[Cowboy Bob]

My thoughts too. I recall that magnesium burns pretty well.

[Publius]

See my tagline, and please buy our book. Billthedrill and I need the royalties. Buy ten of them for your friends.

[Organic Panic]

We’ll all be living in a car free future with excellent progressive leadership. All the trains will run on time exactly when and where ‘they’ want us to go. Cars are tools of the proletariate cisgender binary male dominated phalocentric imperialist white supremecist hegemony to destroy mother earth and people of color.

[wally_bert]

A variant of Wilton Knight’s molecular bonded shell on the way?