Aircraft manufacturer Boeing has released details of Microlattice, a new material it has developed, which it says is the world’s lightest metal structure.
The structure, which is 99.99% hollow, is 100 times lighter than Styrofoam with a wealth of possibilities for aeronautical design, the company says.
But the material is also strong thanks to the 3D open-cellular polymer structure of interconnected hollow tubes beneath the surface. Each tube wall is 1,000 times thinner than a human hair. The material, the structure of which was inspired by bones, was originally developed for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Some of its many uses could be for battery electrodes, acoustic, vibration or shock energy damping.
Originally published by Cosmos as Microlattice – the lightest metal ever made
Bill Condie
Bill Condie is a science journalist based in Adelaide, Australia.
Read science facts, not fiction...
There’s never been a more important time to explain the facts, cherish evidence-based knowledge and to showcase the latest scientific, technological and engineering breakthroughs. Cosmos is published by The Royal Institution of Australia, a charity dedicated to connecting people with the world of science. Financial contributions, however big or small, help us provide access to trusted science information at a time when the world needs it most. Please support us by making a donation or purchasing a subscription today.
