Feb 26, 2024
3D printed titanium structure shows supernatural strength
Posted by Cecile G. Tamura in categories: biotech/medical, materials
A 3D printed ‘metamaterial’ boasting levels of strength for weight not normally seen in nature or manufacturing could change how we make everything from medical implants to aircraft or rocket parts.
RMIT University researchers created the new metamaterial—a term used to describe an artificial material with unique properties not observed in nature—from common titanium alloy.
But it’s the material’s unique lattice structure design, recently revealed in the journal Advanced Materials, that makes it anything but common: tests show it’s 50% stronger than the next strongest alloy of similar density used in aerospace applications.