Chinese
researchers assert that by developing a new type of steel, they have overcome a
steelmaking issue. The team’s newly developed steel is ‘ultrastrong yet
flexible,’ they claim.
The
newly discovered ductile metal may stretch by 18 to 25%, according to the
researchers. Additionally, it is capable of supporting the weight of a 2-ton
car on a piece of steel little bigger than a fingernail.
The
team from Shenyang’s Northeastern University, the Max Planck Institute for Iron
Research in Germany, Jiangyin Xingcheng Special Steel Works, and Shenyang
National Laboratory for Materials Science published their findings in the
peer-reviewed journal Science on Friday.
The
super-strong steel that can absorb a lot of energy during collisions would find
use in the automotive, aerospace, and equipment industries since companies
could shape it into intricate designs.
Strength
and flexibitility are typically mutually incompatible. Creating ultratough
steel that can also stretch was a significant problem for scientists. However,
there is a market for such a material in infrastructure and transportation as
it is safe and lightweight.