Liquidmetal: Twice as strong as titanium but as workable as plastic

A revolution in metals has arrived. NASA, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the U.S. Department of Energy united to help develop a new building material.

"Liquidmetal" is a type of alloy, a mix of three or more metals, with characteristics similar to plastic that cools quickly and has more than twice the strength of titanium.

It has long been thought that plastic and steel were the best materials to use in building large products. These new "shapeless alloys" combine the strength of steel with the molding capability of plastic.

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I wonder what the could/will make with this stuff. Aircraft frames, warships, cars?

That's absolutely incredible when you get down to it. I'm sure this, if cost-efficient, has the potential to revolutionize the construction/manufacturing industry in a very short time. I am somewhat curious about something though. I can understand why NASA and Caltech would have worked on the R&D, but what’s the Department of Energy’s interest? Doesn’t really seem like their forte, in my opinion. You’d think they’d be more interested in funding research in regards to cleaner more efficient forms of energy production, especially considering the upcoming (and current) energy crises.

Originally posted by SkyFox2
, but what’s the Department of Energy’s interest? Doesn’t really seem like their forte,

Maybe for new designs of fission and possibly fusion reactors.

Liquid metal would be great if it could be made cheaper then the cost of wood. It would make buildings much stronger and laster longer, great where the environment is not so nice, seen a lot of house get blown away by tornados and hurricanes on tv.

Originally posted by NWguy83

Originally posted by SkyFox2
, but what’s the Department of Energy’s interest? Doesn’t really seem like their forte,

Maybe for new designs of fission and possibly fusion reactors.

Indeed, it seems there are a few properties of Liquidmetal which make the alloy useful as a coolant for reactors. ALMR/PRISM reactors were one of the, what seems to be, chief concepts which brought the US Department of Energy into this project. Both Russia and France show interest in the alloy for nuclear fusion purposes as well. From what I can tell, it appears all three nations have already constructed such facilities employing Liquidmetal. Beyond that it gets a little confusing, so I can’t really go much further into explanation there, and that’s assuming I understood what I read, and the above is in fact correct.

I hope my curiosity didn’t waste too much of everyone’s time, or bore anyone to an extreme.

One thing I heard about (this is different) awhile back was the creation of "foamed" metal. Like styrofoam, but made of metal instead of plastic. Incredibly light but also extremely strong.

I would like to see how this Liquidmetal ends up getting used in life.
I've seen many new and innovative inventions end up going no where, and I'm not sure why that happens.

CHECK THIS VIDEO OUT

the liquid metal ball bounces for 1:21 minutes!!! it seems surreal that it can store that much elastic energy

WMV
MOV

www.abovetopsecret.com...

OOPS wrong video.

mov
WMV

[edit on 30-10-2005 by Shadow88]

I just wonder how much does it cost, and how much does it weigh.

Originally posted by NWguy83
I just wonder how much does it cost, and how much does it weigh.

I was wondering this too, it may have implications for sporting equipment if its fairly light

So far liquid metal is being used in golf clubs and prosthetic devices. However, aircraft makers are showing a strong interest in it for some structural components and the U.S. Navy is testing it in submarines. It will not be long before you'll see it show up in lots of different products.

With liquid metal can they injection mold parts like plastic that are stronger than forged or milled/billet titanium? I'm thinking that if the manufacturing method is quick and cheap it would offset the cost of the materials if they are more expensive than current steel, plastic or titanium.

given that it is the strongest metal, wont we be able to build subs that can go deeper? and without having to pressurize as much because it will maintain structural integrity, which beside not imploding will cause less stress on a person. so many goodies to come this century!!!!!

it not like anybody on this forum is going to go deep ocean anytime soon.

Seems to hold a lot of energy. Could you make some type electrical generator bouncing two of those LM balls off each other? Free energy uses?

X

I bet it would make an excellent armor. for subsonic rounds.

It's sad that with an invention of this magnitude, people are still saying, in so many words, "What a great weapon!"

Can't we explore other avenues?

Must every advancement be hijacked and co-opted by the death-dealers and their loyal sycophants?

Humanity has never been closer to Heaven on earth, and paradoxically, never closer to Hell on earth. The decisions we make effect the world of tommorow.

If this stuff is applied with equal fervor to non-military needs, Americans and people around the world will be much better off.

On a base note, this is going to revolutionize the plumbing industry, bye-bye PVC (thankfully).

I wonder what the plastics giants will do when this stuff hits big-time? Curl up and die?

Must every advancement be hijacked and co-opted by the death-dealers and their loyal sycophants

Yes absolutely. War is the catalyst for the advancement of science. we didn't go to the moon just to collect rocks and bounce around in 1/6 gee gravity. We went up there to show the soviets that USA will be number one in technology.
man used the expansion of gasses to propel a cannonball before of thinking using it to push a piston and do work. GPS was developed for the military. Radar for tracking storms was used to track airplanes in WWII radar also led to the invention of the microwave oven when a army guy walked past a microwave emitter with a hershey bar in his pocket.
If we didn't have war we would still be picking apples off trees the same way adam and eve did.

This world is ruled by death and war. Until things change deal with it.