A new metal alloy of chromium, cobalt and nickel (CrCoNi) has surprised scientists by its incredible resistence And toughness. The material is extremely ductile – i.e. malleable – as well as extremely strong. In combination, these two elements make it the strongest material in the world.
After successfully recreating a material not found naturally on Earth, the world of lab-synthesized metals continues to amaze. The researchers of the Berkeley Lab and ofOak Ridge National Laboratory have managed to develop a surprising alloy, whose main peculiarity is theincrease in its strength and ductility when subjected to colder temperatures. A feature shared by very few other existing materials.
CrCoNi is part of one alloy of metals with high entropy (HEA). These alloys tend to have high strength, but until now, technology has not been able to test them under extreme conditions.
“When developing structural materials, you want them to be ductile but also resistant to fracture,” said project co-author Easo George. “Typically, a compromise is sought between these two properties. But this material is both, and instead of becoming brittle in cold temperatures, it becomes stronger.”
The material was tested at temperatures close to that of liquid helium (-269°C) and revealed a resistance equal to 500 megapascals. In the same system of measurement, the resistance of silicone is 1, the aluminum structure of an aircraft is 35, while the resistance of the best steels is around 100. As the Berkley Lab scientists explain, 500 is an impressive number.
At the moment, the material is being developed for different applications. Due to the high cost, however, researchers see it as a good candidate for extreme environmentslike it deep space. The new material capable of blocking gamma rays, recently developed, could also be very useful in this field.
[Credit: Robert Ritchie/Berkeley Lab]
