Now, A super-hard metal has been made in the laboratory by melting together titanium and gold.
The alloy is the hardest known metallic substance compatible with living tissues, say US physicists.
The material is four times harder than pure titanium and has applications in making longer-lasting medical implants, they say. It may also have applications in the drilling industry, the sporting goods industry and many other potential fields, she added.
But, how brittle is it? Some metals that are very hard are also very brittle, which would not be a good thing in, say, a hip joint.
Titanium is very hard, it doesn't tarnish and it doesn't weather, but it can be brittle. This alloy makes sense. Titanium behaves more like a ceramic (in many situations) than like a metal. I don't know how they pulled it off (Titanium is difficult to work with), but that sounds cool.
ReplyDeleteThere's a downside to this though, too.
DeleteI had a titanium ring made, but my personal jeweler pointed out to me that were my finger injured, it may have to be cut off due to the ring. Because of its immense strength, there's no way the titanium ring itself could be cut off.
Are they calling the alloy "Adamantium"?
ReplyDeleteAre they calling the alloy "Adamantium"?
ReplyDelete