Exceptionally strong and lightweight new metal

Magnesium infused with dense silicon carbide nanoparticles could be used for airplanes, cars, mobile electronics and more

Summary: A team led by researchers has created a super-strong yet light structural metal with extremely high specific strength and modulus, or stiffness-to-weight ratio. To create the super-strong but lightweight metal, the team found a new way to disperse and stabilize nanoparticles in molten metals.

SOURCE: www.sciencedaily.com...

This stuff when treated with a compression injection molding system will make super tough ultra light weight metal structures. Fabrication of device cases will likely be one of the first applications in my opinion but aircraft, spacecraft, and UAVs will likely have lots of this used for propellers and other high stress high value parts. This is an exciting material. I would like an exo-suite made from this as well as a man portable flying wing please.

a reply to: machineintelligence

Somewhere I heared that one of the benifits of the space station is reseach into new metal alloys. Since this thing is orbiting our planet I never heared from new discoveries again. Can this be a first.?

a reply to: machineintelligence

The new metal (more accurately called a metal nanocomposite) is about 14 percent silicon carbide nanoparticles and 86 percent magnesium.

86% magnesium?

is that safe?

a reply to: choos

The silicone carbide nano-particles have an effect on the thermal energy handling characteristics in the matrixed metal substrate.

Super strong light weight metal is great, but you still have to come up with ways to fasten it together. You mentioned

"The silicone carbide nano-particles have an effect on the thermal energy handling characteristics in the matrixed metal substrate."

Does that make it more fire resistant? Magnesium burns underwater, not sure of welding it. I guess you could make rivets out of the same stuff though. Most airplane fuselages are riveted I believe.

a reply to: tinner07

On a more detailed look it is a Magnesium Zinc alloy being used. The silicon carbide nano-particles provide a rigid and low thermal energy transferring substrate.

I believe Boeing aircraft are bonded together these days? So no worries about thermal properties.

I would like a super strong lightweight sword made

a reply to: ParanoidCovKid

What I have read about this technology is that a near infinite number of alloys can be matrixed into the silicon carbide or boron nitride nano-particle substrate at varying mix rates for different material effects.

a reply to: tinner07

Here is a similar technology used to make super tough 18K gold for watches. news.discovery.com...

a reply to: machineintelligence

I briefly perused a similar story on the source site, it mentioned the possibility of even smaller transistors which would fend of the death of Moore's law. Still it might be too early to call this the new graphene.

a reply to: machineintelligence

Why are we geeting a leap in technology like this now?
- Easy. Helium-3. The Moon is COVERED in Helium-3, the one getting to the moon and creating a moon mining-base first, will get a massive boost economically. China has a plan to get up there, US most likely has one aswell, Russia? Probably also.

Helium-3 could be the answer to energy on Earth.

Sweet now I want to weld it

I suspect they have already mixed silicon carbide with aluminium to make an ever stronger alloy far cheaper than using magnesium and silicon carbide. Silicon Carbide on its own is very hard..you can dress a grinding wheel like its chalk, however its brittle and can shatter if you drop it or shock it.

I wonder if it would would ignite....like planes used to do in the olden days....

you know, like their frames

a reply to: Brotherman

I think this material will only find application in castings for now due to the way it is pressure formed.

originally posted by: machineintelligence
a reply to: Brotherman

I think this material will only find application in castings for now due to the way it is pressure formed.

I would assume it could be machined as well.

a reply to: BIGPoJo

It could be tooled and machined and with diamond bits I am sure. I think cell phone and high end laptop and tablet cases will find the first commercialization of this technology.

a reply to: Thecakeisalie

Well the new Graphene was already discovered, called Carbyne Carbyne: Material could be Stronger than Graphene, Diamond and that's an article from 2013.

I guess we're going to be discovering a lot of these new materials with amazing uses and strength over the next few years