. 24/7 Space News .
TECH SPACE
Towards better metallic glasses
by Staff Writers
Bristol, UK (SPX) Nov 03, 2016


Sir Charles Frank and the icosahedron: five-fold symmetry suppresses crystallisation. Image courtesy University of Bristol, HH Wills Physics Laboratory.

Researchers from the University of Bristol have used state-of-the-art computer simulation to test a theory from the 1950s that when atoms organise themselves into 3D pentagons they supress crystallisation.

The theory by renowned Bristol physicist, Sir Charles Frank, has been a cornerstone of metallic glass development ever since from high-tech aerospace materials to the covers of our mobile phones.

But until now, the mechanism by which these 3D pentagons could stop the formation of crystal nuclei has been unknown. Metallic glasses have the potential to revolutionise many commercial applications - they have many of the advantageous properties of conventional metals but are much tougher and harder.

This is because the systems are disordered - the atoms are frozen into a complex, tangled structure.

This is unlike conventional metals which naturally form well-arranged ordered structures, called crystals.

The faults in crystals are what cause the material to break when it is stressed, and so metallic glasses can be far stronger - they have no faults between crystal grains.

Dr Patrick Royall from the School of Chemistry, who led this research with colleague Dr Jade Taffs, said: "In order to manufacture these amorphous materials we need to find a way to stop them from forming crystals.

"This is challenging - decades of research have resulted in a largest sample just 7cm in size. The key question - what is the most effective way of stopping crystallisation, remains unsolved."

Now, using computer simulation, Drs Taffs and Royall have uncovered the mechanism by which fivefold symmetry (3D pentagons) in liquids inhibits crystallisation.

Dr Taffs said: "When a crystal is in contact with its liquid, the atoms at the surface of each phase cannot satisfy their bonding constraints: they are "neither liquid nor solid".

"This means the material must pay energy due to the lack of satisfied bonds at the interface between crystal and liquid, and this surface energy is much higher in the case of liquids with fivefold symmetry."

Dr Royall added: "Liquids crystallise through the spontaneous creation of small crystals, and this process is extremely dependent on the size of the surface energy of the crystals.

"Because the surface energy is higher when the liquid has fivefold symmetry, nuclei form at a much lower rate. Identifying the mechanism by which crystallisation may be suppressed is an important step in the development of metallic glasses, and may open the door to using metallic glass in applications from vehicles to spacecraft."


Comment on this article using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.


Thanks for being here;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5 Billed Monthly


paypal only


.


Related Links
University of Bristol
Space Technology News - Applications and Research






Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

Previous Report
TECH SPACE
Smashing metallic cubes toughens them up
Houston TX (SPX) Nov 03, 2016
Scientists at Rice University are smashing metallic micro-cubes to make them ultrastrong and tough by rearranging their nanostructures upon impact. The Rice team reported in Science this week that firing a tiny, nearly perfect cube of silver onto a hard target turns its single-crystal microstructure into a gradient-nano-grained (GNG) structure. The purpose of the experiment was to learn ho ... read more


TECH SPACE
NavCube could support an X-ray communication test in space

Japan rocket with manga art launches satellite into space

NASA, Navy practice Orion module recovery

Weightless tourism just 4 years away

TECH SPACE
JCSAT-15 arrives in Kourou for Dec Ariane 5 launch

China launches first heavy-lift rocket

Aerojet Rocketdyne completes CST launch abort engine hot fire tests

NASA Uses Tunnel Approach to Study How Heat Affects SLS Rocket

TECH SPACE
'Millions' needed to continue Europe's Mars mission: ESA chief

Six people to spend two weeks in Mars simulation habitat in Poland

Opportunity makes small U-turn to reach summit of Spirit Mound

Schiaparelli crash site in colour

TECH SPACE
Long March-5 reflects China's "greatest advancement" yet in rockets

New heavy-lift carrier rocket boosts China's space dream

Long March-7 being assembled, to transport Tianzhou-1

Kuaizhou-1 scheduled to launch in December

TECH SPACE
Sun-observing MinXSS CubeSat to yield insights into solar flare energetics

Optus achieves full certification of 4 teleports

ISRO's World record bid: Launching 83 satellites on single rocket

Shared vision and goals for the future of Europe in space

TECH SPACE
Vector and ATLAS partner to introduce new satellite ground architecture offering

3-D-printed permanent magnets outperform conventional versions, conserve rare materials

Nickel-78 is a doubly magic isotope supercomputer confirms

Researchers bring eyewear-free 3-D capabilities to small screen

TECH SPACE
What happens to a pathogenic fungus grown in space?

How Planets Like Jupiter Form

Giant Rings Around Exoplanet Turn in the Wrong Direction

Preferentially Earth-sized Planets with Lots of Water

TECH SPACE
Mystery solved behind birth of Saturn's rings

Last Bits of 2015 Pluto Flyby Data Received on Earth

Uranus may have two undiscovered moons

Possible Clouds on Pluto, Next Target is Reddish









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.