Metal Foam - Innovation Nation

Lighter and stronger than regular metal, metal foam is designed for stronger body and car part replacements. This invention of materials engineer Afsaneh Rabiei is also being tested as body armor for the military. See how it works in this episode of Innovation Nation with Miles O'Brien.

[@stevesloan6775]

Happy New year 2024.😎🇦🇺🤜🏼🤛🏼🍀☮️
It’s good to see such an old channel still producing science content.

[@omkr0122]

Metal foams are certainly unique. Who knows, they might be able to do wonders in the future. May be develop 'foamed surgical steel' bones and other joining units that will be accepted in a greater percent by the body.

[@anonco1907]

You're the only one here that's on the right track of thinking.

[@robbozzo3068]

Check out Cymat's Stablized Aluminum Foam. They can actually manufacture the stuff at a viable, industrial rate, not just single cast.

[@MikeTrieu]

The problem with Cymat's process is that the pores are not spherical in shape and tend to collapse much more easily under the same amount of force. That and the imperfect cell boundaries form localized weaknesses that are more difficult to characterize in an industrial batch process. Is it still tougher than solid steel? Perhaps. But is it better than a syntactic metal foam? Empirically not. Also, you're comparing a lab demo to a commercially implemented process? Is it really that hard to imagine this simple process being scaled up to the same volumes? Powder metallurgy isn't exactly an untested science.

[@robbozzo3068]

When volume and economies of scale are the prime directives, whether you are absorbing the additional 2% of energy matters little. You'd probably just overengineer by a slightly larger margin and reap the savings.
And about the powder metallurgy scaled volumes? You be surprised. I agree it's not untested science, not by a long shot. But when tens of thousands of sheets are required, molds, turn over and real estate become dicey.You're more than welcome to attempt what many others have struggled with.

[@rulesvegeta6j7]

i think the ifernos body is made out of it

[@kkuhn]

Wait did he say his name was Miles O'brian?
Star Trek...

[@Replayer101]

Kevin Kuehn ah haaa!

[@mmotitaniumanode8824]

Are you using titanium foam?

[@MikeTrieu]

Perhaps not stronger than a solid piece of metal of the same volume, but maybe just as strong at a fraction of the weight. It's all about the geometry of the structures (in this case, hollow spheres).

[@johntheux9238]

Maybe if they increase the bubble pressure the gas will absorb more energy than the metal itself while make the material superelastic?

[@realrazzy5084]

so close to being just a solid block. 92% full so whats the point and just buy a solid piece?

[@MikeTrieu]

Because when you have a solid material a fracture can propagate and cause a catastrophic failure. If you can absorb much of the energy from the fracture by compressing the hollow spheres, kinetic energy is rapidly converted to heat and the bulk material is saved.

[@Smashlilman]

They basically created Vibrainum. :P

[@johntheux9238]

@@MikeTrieu What if the bubble pressure was 500 bar?

[@khalidqamar5634]

I want to make pu foam very hard just like wood strange plz tell me formula?

[@mustafakhalil007]

Hi, how to cummunicate with Prof Rabiei?

[@khalidqamar5634]

sir how can I make it? and which matrils used plz tell me

[@nicholasfotou2980]

you need a furnace, fine steel powder, and hollow metal spheres. follow a basic smelting process such as that on green beetle's blacksmithing channel. the proplem is finding the hollow steel balls. fucking impossible

[@SleepDaMouse-xd8dn]

nicholas fotou make them. Its simple. Step 1 gather materials. Step 2 make them

[@edwint.1613]

So its just metal with holes in it? like one of those blocks of cheese with holes in it?

[@edwint.1613]

It reminds me of the innerstructure of bone matarial. Cept its metal and flexible unlike bone. Hmmm maybe synthetic bone of the future could be made out this stuff.

[@Synonymous_Legion]

Imagine making 3D Printed Armor out of this material?

[@havoxaerthis7904]

The armor would be even more efficient with 3d printing, as it is more precise, and can print complexe form and structure.

[@SunTzu2024]

this seams like it would be great for next generation tank armor. wow pretty awesome

[@ricksweet5115]

I am sorry about the arm.

[@benzed1618]

WOWOWOWOOWOWOWOWOOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWO

[@rippedanny]

0:46 Not good

[@CrocoShack]

Stronger that regular metal ? Is this a joke ?

[@kellyjackson7889]

POWAH METAL!!

[@johntheux9238]

Not stronger but absorb more energy.

[@Dragunov38]

Hopefully she will be deported...