China scientists turn to ‘Terminator’ liquid metal in alloy breakthrough
- ‘Unbelievable’ method just adds gallium and it could lead to unprecedented new alloys, researchers said
- The element acts as a dynamic mixing reservoir for metals while its low melting point makes it easier to use, according to paper
The breakthrough could pave the way for the invention of exceptionally hard, stable types of alloy with unprecedented properties and uses, according to the team, led by Fu Lei, a professor with Wuhan University’s College of Chemistry and Molecular Sciences.
Fu told China Science Daily that the simplicity and effectiveness of the scientists’ method – published last week in the peer-reviewed journal Nature – was initially met with scepticism.
“We found this phenomenon two years ago, but it was hard to convince people that just by adding liquid metals, the synthesis process [of alloy materials] could be greatly improved,” he said.
“Even reviewers from Nature found the results ‘unbelievable’ when they first saw the manuscript.”
To address the sceptics, the researchers conducted further experiments and analysis, as well as a more rigorous explanation of the synthesis mechanism and extra theoretical calculations.