Carbon Nanoparticles Help Aluminum to Toughen Up

It's been a big week in metals research. Medtech Pulse recently reported on a magnesium sheet technology produced by nanoMag that the company says is 200% stronger than conventional magnesium sheet. Now, Russian researchers at Siemens Corporate Technology have announced the development of a material that they claim is roughly three times harder than conventional composites at a fraction of the weight.

To achieve this balance of light weight and high strength, the scientists employed fullerenes. Composed of 60 carbon atoms, these spherical molecules feature high mechanical stability at a low weight. 

"Aluminum and C60 are ground under an argon atmosphere into tiny grains with a diameter of just a few nanometers, or millionths of a millimeter," according to Siemens. "The two substances then bond with one another to form the new material. Special mills grind the aluminum, and the ultrafine powder is pressed into a new material. Roughly one percent by weight of fullerenes is sufficient to imbue the material with sufficient hardness."

The company has identified compressors, turbochargers, and engines as applications that may benefit from the enhanced aluminum material; however, it has also noted potential for use in MRI equipment. Coating superconducting cables with the material could improve stability, the company states. In turn, the coated cables could be able to withstand stronger currents, thereby enabling more-powerful scanners.