A new type of ultra-durable and super-elastic material has been discovered. This invention is believed to aid in the development of shape-shifting aircraft in the future.
Through three manufacturing steps, this alloy exhibits both strength and elasticity even in high-temperature environments. The first step involves altering the material’s shape, allowing it to stretch by an additional 50%.
This alloy is composed of titanium and nickel. It is as strong as steel yet can stretch like rubber (Illustration: Adobe).
The second step involves heating it to 300 degrees Celsius and stretching it a second time. However, this time it can only stretch an additional 12%. In the final step, this super-durable and elastic metal can withstand pressures up to 18,000 times that of normal atmospheric pressure.
Thus, this new material has a strength equivalent to that of conventional steel and can maintain its properties within a temperature range of -80 degrees Celsius to 80 degrees Celsius.
With such superior advantages, this super material can be utilized for various purposes, including applications in creating shape-shifting aircraft, such as planes that can change the shape of their wings to aid in acceleration or deceleration.
Other feasible applications include shape-shifting robots, which some scientists have attempted to develop in the past. Currently, engineers indicate that many technical issues must be resolved before this new invention can be applied in practice.
