Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

New metal alloy is super strong, easy to cast
Boston Globe ^ | 7/5/2002 14:23 | Peter Svensson, Associated Press

Posted on 07/05/2002 6:20:45 PM PDT by ChadGore

Edited on 04/13/2004 2:07:56 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

NEW YORK (AP) It could be the new superhero of metals.

More than twice as strong as titanium and steel, it doesn't rust and it can be cast like plastic and honed to an edge as sharp as glass.

And like any superhero, it has a weakness: don't heat it too much, or it loses its strength.


(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...


TOPICS: Announcements; Business/Economy; Extended News; Technical
KEYWORDS: hold1micron; techindex
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 next last
Can this stuff really hold 1 micron ?
1 posted on 07/05/2002 6:20:45 PM PDT by ChadGore
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ChadGore
bttt
2 posted on 07/05/2002 6:20:59 PM PDT by ChadGore
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChadGore
But the really big question is, HOW SAFE IS IT FOR KITCHEN COOKWARE AND UTENSILS?
3 posted on 07/05/2002 6:36:46 PM PDT by Vidalia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChadGore
In the mold, Liquidmetal reveals another quality: it doesn't shrink when it solidifies. Ordinary metals do, meaning the product is rough out of the mold and needs machining.

Unfortunately it seems that whatever savings in manufacturing this could translate into would probably be canceled out by the high cost of the raw material.

4 posted on 07/05/2002 6:45:54 PM PDT by Jorge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChadGore
Can this stuff really hold 1 micron ?

If the academic weenie's say so, it's likely true.
Although I'd be curious as to what material they were using for the mold...
and if the mold itself retained dimensional quality with repetitive use.

Sounds like interesting stuff, but the article raises more technical questions than it answers. Simply calling a material "strong" doesn't indicate what type of strength they're talking about: tensile?, impact? is it tough or brittle?
The temperature problem does seem a barrier to many applications, but I question the reporter's use of the word "malleable" and suspect he meant to say "molten".

Interesting though! Thanks for posting!

5 posted on 07/05/2002 6:54:55 PM PDT by Willie Green
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cmsgop
Wanna cast your own hyboy parts? Fixtures for your boat? Stuff that doesn't look good rusty?

Remember all that machined billet that cost an arm and a leg?

Possible backyard hotrodder replacement parts here..

(imagine a pitted and corroded hood or dash ornament.. nasty and ugly, but good enough to use to create a mold. Hey!)

6 posted on 07/05/2002 7:00:49 PM PDT by Jhoffa_
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Willie Green
Make a bike out of this stuff and ship it to Lance for next week. So what if it's $50.00/lb for a 5 lb. bike.
7 posted on 07/05/2002 7:04:44 PM PDT by Tom D.
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: ChadGore
"Can this stuff really hold 1 micron ?"

10,000 angstroms, that's pretty small.

8 posted on 07/05/2002 7:09:19 PM PDT by blam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ChadGore
Metal like this has been around LONG before 1992.
9 posted on 07/05/2002 7:10:19 PM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All
Not nearly as cool as this:

Transparent Alumina, which is aluminum oxide - Al2-O3.

A ceramic research lab in Dresden, Germany, has developed transparent Alumina by subjecting fine-grained (I'm guessing extremely fine-grained) aluminum to a whopping 1200 degrees Celsius ...the result of which is amazingly light but three times tougher than hardened steel of the same thickness, and it's see-through.

 

10 posted on 07/05/2002 7:36:59 PM PDT by max_rpf
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: ChadGore

11 posted on 07/05/2002 7:43:59 PM PDT by Darth Sidious
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: *tech_index; Ernest_at_the_Beach
fyi
12 posted on 07/05/2002 8:24:53 PM PDT by Libertarianize the GOP
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Darth Sidious
Think of the foil we could make with this!!
13 posted on 07/05/2002 8:32:21 PM PDT by Jhoffa_
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

Comment #14 Removed by Moderator

To: ChadGore
And somewhere, Ayn Rand is getting all hot and bothered...
15 posted on 07/05/2002 8:48:54 PM PDT by Jhensy
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Jorge
"Unfortunately it seems that whatever savings in manufacturing this could translate into would probably be canceled out by the high cost of the raw material."

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm don't be too sure 'bout that. If one considers the cost of "secondary handling" using current materials, you're talking about serious personnel / manpower costs. How long would it take to make up the difference between $15 and 50 cents per pound if one, two, or more people had to take the product made from cheaper materials and mill, grind, or otherwise "finish" it? At today's labor rates? That would take no time at all to eat up the "savings" in material costs, IOW. If one could cast a truly "finished" product from the get go..........what happens to those labor costs?

No, still sounds like a bargain to me.

16 posted on 07/05/2002 8:49:08 PM PDT by RightOnline
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Jhensy
Cheers Jhensy -- you would be alluding to Rearden metal, and hot and bothered about the metal and it's creator no doubt.
17 posted on 07/05/2002 9:08:03 PM PDT by " And I mean It "
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: RightOnline
"Unfortunately it seems that whatever savings in manufacturing this could translate into would probably be canceled out by the high cost of the raw material."

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm don't be too sure 'bout that. If one considers the cost of "secondary handling" using current materials, you're talking about serious personnel / manpower costs. How long would it take to make up the difference between $15 and 50 cents per pound if one, two, or more people had to take the product made from cheaper materials and mill, grind, or otherwise "finish" it? At today's labor rates? That would take no time at all to eat up the "savings" in material costs, IOW. If one could cast a truly "finished" product from the get go..........what happens to those labor costs?

Good point.
But the savings would depend on the complexity of the machining operation required...some are quite simple and with modern machining tools such as the CNC machine with programable milling capabilities, many jobs are pretty cost effective these days..especially when it comes to large orders.

Also, when it comes to casting a truly finished product we're talking about a higher quality mold, not the same sort used to produce unfinished items that require machining. This means cost of casting goes up.

Furthermore, when it comes to applications with tighter tolerance requirements such as motors, gears, and bearings...the fact that a material doesn't shrink when cooled is not going to solve the problem that a casting simply will not give you the precise polished surface finish needed for these parts.

18 posted on 07/05/2002 9:27:03 PM PDT by Jorge
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: Libertarianize the GOP; Mathlete; Apple Pan Dowdy; grundle; beckett; billorites; ErnBatavia; ...
Thanks for the ping!

To find all articles tagged or indexed using tech_index

Click here: tech_index

19 posted on 07/05/2002 10:31:29 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: ChadGore
"Much like glass, Liquidmetal softens when heated the earliest alloy at about 750 degrees Fahrenheit."

Sounds like a potential art medium.

20 posted on 07/05/2002 10:47:29 PM PDT by brat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-88 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson