Metals

Whenever you try to improve steel, there are usually tradeoffs involved. It’s a balancing act between different properties. Now, engineers have developed a new type of “super steel” that defies this, staying strong while still resisting fractures.

The colorful glaze on that ceramic mug of yours may look nice, but there's a chance that it could contain toxic substances. US scientists have thus created a safer type of glaze, that incorporates tiny particles of silver and gold.

Graphene, the highly useful material consisting of a one-atom-thick sheet of linked carbon atoms, has already been shown to keep steel from rusting. Soon, though, it could also be used to stop bacteria from corroding metal pipes.

We already knew that copper kills bacteria on contact, as it releases ions that rupture bacterial cell membranes. The material could soon do so faster than ever, however, thanks to a new laser-based surface treatment.

While lumber has many desirable qualities, it has to be pressure-treated with eco-unfriendly chemicals to keep from rotting. With that problem in mind, US scientists are working on a greener alternative – giving the wood a shot of metal oxide.

With gold, beauty and weight are two sides of the same coin. Now, by mixing it with plastic instead of other metals, researchers have created a new form of gold with as little as one-10th the usual weight, but retaining the same purity.

The quality of 3D-printed metal parts could soon improve, thanks to new research out of Australia. Scientists there have determined that the application of ultrasound boosts the strength of such items, by modifying their microstructure.

If you wanted to have a replica of Michelangelo's David in your home, you'd need plenty of space to show it off. But the replica 3D-printed by Exaddon and ETH Zurich would fit in any home, though you may need a microscope to see it.

Scientists at North Carolina State University have determined that a new composite metal foam should outperform aluminum when used in the construction of aircraft wings.

Researchers have taken advantage of defects to make silver much stronger while still being conductive – breaking a theoretical limit in the process.

Chromium and nickel nanoparticles from tattoo needles may be responsible for some allergic reactions to tattoos.

In the pure white snow of Antarctica, scientists have found rare isotopes that don't occur naturally on Earth. The isotope, known as iron-60, is usually forged in the crucible of supernova explosions, and the researchers believe it fell to Earth as our solar system passed through an interstellar gas cloud.