Time to throw out your titanium kit

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Nohoval_Turrets

Full Member
Sep 28, 2004
348
10
52
Ireland
I used to be happy with my titanium kit, but now I see that I have to throw it all out, and buy it again:

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36855705

If like me you like titanium, but worry that it's a bit on the cheap side, then this new alloy with gold is the answer to your prayers!

It may also have applications in the drilling industry, the sporting goods industry and many other potential fields, she added.
Line up folks!
 

Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,666
McBride, BC
Don't be too hasty (or throw your kit my way.)
I read that they were unable to grind the stuff up between diamond-faced surfaces.
Might be a while until manufacturing technology catches up with the hardness.

Still, for joint replacements and dental implants, major advance.
 
Jul 30, 2012
3,570
224
westmidlands
Im sure titanium carbide is harder (9.5), not being able to grind it up isnt supprising, the problem is applying enough pressure, as in tool steel and a drill, either to indent the surface or before the grinding face deforms, momentum grinding probably would have it.

I heard about hardox today on wobot wars, they where raving about that, seems to be hyper processed steel.

Do not hip replacements need replacing due to the meeting face wearing out, its usually made of nylon or porcelain, goatboy would know after his replacement.

I always thought titanium was a bit tacky, thank goodness.
 
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Robson Valley

Full Member
Nov 24, 2014
9,959
2,666
McBride, BC
petrochemicals, I believe you're wrong. This new cubic atomic arrangement of Ti/Au is the hardest thing going.
I'll believe that they tried everything before they reported any results.
It appears that diamond-bonded grinding surfaces cannot mush this up.

That being the case, the needs for durability may have been jacked up by an order of
magnitude or better = great news.
 

C_Claycomb

Moderator staff
Mod
Oct 6, 2003
7,395
2,414
Bedfordshire
I heard about it too. A gold/titanum alloy is mentioned in the 2008 Iron Man movie as the material of Tony Stark's suit, so mixing them is far from new. It seems that it is the combination at high temperature that has given new properties to an existing alloy mix.

The quoted hardness descriptions make for nice news bytes, but not very useful for comparison.

Best description seems to be that it is 4x the hardness of pure titanium, which various sources place between about 200 and 235HV10, which is about 15 to 20 HRC. The relationship between the scales means four times 235HV does not equal four times 20HRC. 4x235 = 940HV which is about 68HRC which is just about off the top of the Rockwell scale of hardness, a bit higher than the hardest blade steels (ZDP189 quoted as 65+), but its no where near the hardness of industrial carbide coatings. TiN is 2400HV10 and boron nitride and diamond are harder still.

Graphene is now actually being used to make double handed salmon fly rods!
https://www.mackenzieflyfishing.com/products/fx1-graphene-range
 
Jul 30, 2012
3,570
224
westmidlands
He he from a similar source Adamanitium is biocompatible and much tougher than any of the above :)

That said the Ti3Au here is "Only" about 800HV http://advances.sciencemag.org/content/advances/2/7/e1600319.full.pdf

It is infact tougher , not harder, but even that said titanium is tough stuff already ( even compression strech ratio is perfect) coupled with the fact gold and titanium are corossion proofed, this must be a super metal. Gold on its own though isnt very hard and i should not think the alloy is particularly hard either. But given the toughness will give finer edges who knows.
 

dewi

Full Member
May 26, 2015
2,647
12
Cheshire
A friend of the family works with a group that have developed a new substance. It is as light as carbon fibre, but it is incredibly heat resistant. I can't remember what it called, but it is something to do with geology (I'm not best at listening during the meals we have because I'm usually entertaining my kids and making sure they don't cause chaos) but I will ask at the next meal. They're looking for applications, and were talking about racing cars... wonder if it could be used for outdoor gear, specifically cookware or stoves.
 

Bishop

Full Member
Jan 25, 2014
1,717
691
Pencader
A friend of the family works with a group that have developed a new substance. It is as light as carbon fibre, but it is incredibly heat resistant. I can't remember what it called, but it is something to do with geology (I'm not best at listening during the meals we have because I'm usually entertaining my kids and making sure they don't cause chaos) but I will ask at the next meal. They're looking for applications, and were talking about racing cars... wonder if it could be used for outdoor gear, specifically cookware or stoves.


Sounds like Aerogel, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel. I remember seeing it demonstrated a while back for use on the NASA Stardust mission, incredible insulation properties but fragile like flower arranging foam. However the boffins have been busy and there's a couple of videos on YouTube for Airloys™ that demonstrate the strength of newer formulas. Almost as light as air, waterproof, can be cast in any shape and it is machinable but alas no good for cooking pots, though it should be pretty effective for sleeping pads and according to Aerogel.org they can tweek the mix to make the stuff flexible.
 

jeremyctry

Tenderfoot
Feb 13, 2015
59
2
United States
In the interest of saving landfills from filling up with Titanium kit I've started a Titanium recycling company. feel free to send it to me and I will recycle it properly with no fees.:lmao: PM for shipping info
 

Pioneer72

Tenderfoot
Aug 30, 2016
57
0
Shropshire
So this is the stuff the 'Ironman' suit is made from huh :)
Must be good...

Can't wait to see what they can do with the Unobtainium they were gonna dig up from under the big tree in 'Avatar' :D
 

dewi

Full Member
May 26, 2015
2,647
12
Cheshire
Sounds like Aerogel, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerogel. I remember seeing it demonstrated a while back for use on the NASA Stardust mission, incredible insulation properties but fragile like flower arranging foam. However the boffins have been busy and there's a couple of videos on YouTube for Airloys™ that demonstrate the strength of newer formulas. Almost as light as air, waterproof, can be cast in any shape and it is machinable but alas no good for cooking pots, though it should be pretty effective for sleeping pads and according to Aerogel.org they can tweek the mix to make the stuff flexible.

Not sure that is the same stuff... when I asked my wife about it, she said it was something to do with basalt fibre https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basalt_fiber but as I say, I'll pay more attention next time we're nattering with them.

Aerogels sound like a fun substance though... looking through the uses, its got some pretty diverse uses... undergarments for divers to targets for lasers! Cool.
 

dewi

Full Member
May 26, 2015
2,647
12
Cheshire
Won't need pots, cookers or open fires soon - the fussion and fission heated Boil-in-Bags will have arrived.:)

I want those little cubes that turn into a full roast chicken featured in the Fifth Element... Cheeee-ken!
 

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