Scientists have come up with a new steel that is ultratough, yet stretchable
- They say a fingernail-sized piece can bear the weight of a 2-tonne car without fracturing, and it can also be extended by 18 to 25 per cent
- There is industry demand for such a material – both strong and ductile – for use in lightweight and safe transport, construction and infrastructure
A Chinese-led team of scientists say they have developed a new type of steel that is ultrastrong yet stretchable, potentially overcoming a tough challenge in steelmaking.
According to the team, a piece of the steel the size of a fingernail can bear the weight of a 2-tonne car without fracturing, and the ductile metal can also be stretched by 18 to 25 per cent.
They said the material would have applications in the vehicle, aerospace and machinery sectors, where it could be formed into complex shapes and absorb high energy from the impact of a collision.
The team – from Northeastern University in Shenyang, Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science and Jiangyin Xingcheng Special Steel Works in eastern China, as well as the Max Planck Institute for Iron Research in Germany – published their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Science on Friday.
Creating ultratough steel that can also be extended has been a major challenge for scientists because strength and ductility are usually mutually exclusive. But there is industry demand for such a material for use in lightweight and safe transport, construction and infrastructure.