Durable material. Build with us. Wonders of Wildlife

The definition of strength means the ability of materials not to succumb to destruction as a result of the influence of external forces and factors leading to internal stress. Materials with high strength have a wide range of applications. In nature, there are not only hard metals and durable wood species, but also artificially created high-strength materials. Many people are sure that the hardest material in the world is diamond, but is this really true?

General information:

Opening date: early 60s;

Discoverers - Sladkov, Kudryavtsev, Korshak, Kasatkin;

Density – 1.9-2 g/cm3.

Recently, scientists from Austria completed work on establishing the sustainable production of carbyne, which is an allotropic form of carbon based on sp-hybridization of carbon atoms. Its strength indicators are 40 times higher than those of diamond. Information about this was published in one of the issues of the scientific printed periodical “Nature Materials”.

After carefully studying its properties, scientists explained that its strength cannot be compared with any previously discovered and studied material. However, the production process encountered significant difficulties: the structure of carbyne is formed from carbon atoms collected in long chains, as a result of which it begins to break down during the manufacturing process.

To eliminate the identified problem, physicists from the public university in Vienna created a special protective coating in which carbyne was synthesized. As protective coating layers of graphene were used, placed on top of each other and rolled into a “thermos”. While physicists worked hard to achieve stable forms, they discovered that the electrical properties of a material are affected by the length of the atomic chain.

Researchers have not learned how to extract carbyne from a protective coating without damage, so the study of the new material continues, scientists are guided only by the relative stability of atomic chains.

Carbyne is a little-studied allotropic modification of carbon, the discoverers of which were Soviet chemists: A.M. Sladkov, Yu.P. Kudryavtsev, V.V. Korshak and V.I. Kasatochkin. Information about the results of the experiment with a detailed description of the discovery of the material in 1967 appeared on the pages of one of the largest scientific journals, “Reports of the USSR Academy of Sciences.” 15 years later, an article appeared in the American scientific journal Science that cast doubt on the results obtained by Soviet chemists. It turned out that the signals assigned to the little-studied allotropic modification of carbon could be associated with the presence of silicate impurities. Over the years, similar signals have been discovered in interstellar space.

General information:

Discoverers – Geim, Novoselov;

Thermal conductivity – 1 TPa.

Graphene is a two-dimensional allotropic modification of carbon in which the atoms are combined into a hexagonal lattice. Despite the high strength of graphene, the thickness of its layer is 1 atom.

The discoverers of the material were Russian physicists, Andrei Geim and Konstantin Novoselov. The scientists did not receive financial support in their own country and decided to move to the Netherlands and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. In 2010, scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize.

On a sheet of graphene whose area is equal to one square meter, and the thickness is one atom, objects weighing up to four kilograms can be held freely. In addition to being a highly durable material, graphene is also very flexible. In the future, from a material with such characteristics it will be possible to weave threads and other rope structures that are not inferior in strength to thick steel rope. Under certain conditions, the material discovered by Russian physicists can cope with damage to the crystal structure.

General information:

Year of opening: 1967;

Color – brown-yellow;

Measured density – 3.2 g/cm3;

Hardness – 7-8 units on the Mohs scale.

The structure of lonsdaleite, discovered in a meteorite crater, is similar to diamond; both materials are allotropic modifications of carbon. Most likely, as a result of the explosion, graphite, which is one of the components of the meteorite, turned into lonsdaleite. At the time of discovery of the material, scientists did not note high hardness levels, however, it was proven that if there are no impurities in it, it will not be inferior in any way high hardness diamond

General information about boron nitride:

Density – 2.18 g/cm3;

Melting point – 2973 degrees Celsius;

Crystal structure – hexagonal lattice;

Thermal conductivity – 400 W/(m×K);

Hardness – less than 10 units on the Mohs scale.

The main differences between wurtzite boron nitride, which is a compound of boron and nitrogen, are the thermal and chemical resistance and fire resistance. The material can have different crystalline forms. For example, graphite is the softest, but at the same time stable, it is used in cosmetology. Sphalerite structure in crystal lattice similar to diamonds, but inferior in terms of softness, while having better chemical and thermal resistance. Such properties of wurtzite boron nitride make it possible to use it in equipment for high-temperature processes.

General information:

Hardness – 1000 H/m2;

Strength – 4 Gn/m2;

The year of discovery of metallic glass was 1960.

Metallic glass is a material with a high hardness and a disordered structure at the atomic level. The main difference between the structure of metallic glass and ordinary glass is its high electrical conductivity. Such materials are obtained as a result of a solid-state reaction, rapid cooling or ion irradiation. Scientists have learned to invent amorphous metals, the strength of which is 3 times greater than that of steel alloys.

General information:

Elastic limit – 1500 MPa;

KCU – 0.4-0.6 MJ/m2.

General information:

Impact strength of KST – 0.25-0.3 MJ/m2;

Elastic limit – 1500 MPa;

KCU – 0.4-0.6 MJ/m2.

Maraging steels are iron alloys that have high impact strength without losing their ductility. Despite these characteristics, the material does not hold cutting edge. Alloys obtained by heat treatment are low-carbon substances that take their strength from intermetallic compounds. The alloy contains nickel, cobalt and other carbide-forming elements. This type of high-strength, high-alloy steel is easy to process, due to the low carbon content in its composition. A material with such characteristics has found application in the aerospace field; it is used as a coating for missile casings.

Osmium

General information:

Year of opening – 1803;

The lattice structure is hexagonal;

Thermal conductivity – (300 K) (87.6) W/(m×K);

Melting point – 3306 K.

A shiny, bluish-white metal with high strength belongs to the platinum group. Osmium, having a high atomic density, exceptional refractoriness, fragility, high strength, hardness and resistance to mechanical stress and aggressive influence environment, is widely used in surgery, instrumentation, chemical industry, electron microscopy, rocketry and electronic equipment.

General information:

Density – 1.3-2.1 t/m3;

The strength of carbon fiber is 0.5-1 GPa;

The modulus of elasticity of high-strength carbon fiber is 215 GPa.

Carbon-carbon composites are materials that consist of a carbon matrix, which in turn is reinforced with carbon fibers. The main characteristics of composites are high strength, flexibility and impact strength. The structure of composite materials can be either unidirectional or three-dimensional. Due to these qualities, composites are widely used in various areas, including the aerospace industry.

General information:

The official year of discovery of the spider is 2010;

>The impact strength of the web is 350 MJ/m3.

For the first time, a spider weaving huge webs was discovered near Africa, on the island state of Madagascar. This species of spider was officially discovered in 2010. Scientists were primarily interested in the webs woven by arthropods. The diameter of the circles on the supporting thread can reach up to two meters. The strength of Darwin's web exceeds that of synthetic Kevlar used in the aviation and automotive industries.

General information:

Thermal conductivity – 900-2300 W/(m×K);

Melting point at a pressure of 11 GPa – 3700-4000 degrees Celsius;

Density – 3.47-3.55 g/cm3;

Refractive index – 2.417-2.419.

Diamond, translated from ancient Greek, means “indestructible,” but scientists have discovered 9 more elements that are superior to it in terms of strength. Despite the endless existence of diamond in an ordinary environment, at high temperatures and an inert gas it can turn into graphite. Diamond is the standard element (on the Mohs scale), which has one of the highest hardness values. For him, as for many precious stones, is characterized by luminescence, allowing it to shine when exposed to sunlight.

Durable materials have a wide range of uses. There is not only the hardest metal, but also the hardest and most durable wood, as well as the most durable artificially created materials.

Where are the most durable materials used?

The tensile strength of this electrically conductive fiber is three times higher than that of the web of an orb-weaving spider. The resulting material is used to make ultra-light body armor and sports equipment. The name of another durable material is ONNEX, created by order of the US Department of Defense. In addition to its use in the production of body armor, the new material can also be used in flight control systems, sensors, and engines.

There is a technology developed by scientists, thanks to which strong, hard, transparent and lightweight materials are obtained through the transformation of aerogels. Based on them, it is possible to produce lightweight body armor, armor for tanks and durable building materials.

Novosibirsk scientists have invented a plasma reactor of a new principle, thanks to which it is possible to produce nanotubulene, a super-strong artificial material. This material was discovered twenty years ago. It is a mass of elastic consistency. It consists of plexuses that cannot be seen with the naked eye. The thickness of the walls of these plexuses is one atom.

The fact that the atoms seem to be nested into each other according to the “Russian doll” principle makes nanotubulene the most durable material of all known. When this material is added to concrete, metal, and plastic, their strength and electrical conductivity are significantly enhanced. Nanotubulene will help make cars and planes more durable. If the new material comes into widespread production, then roads, houses, and equipment can become very durable. It will be very difficult to destroy them. Nanotubulene has not yet been introduced into widespread production due to its very high cost. However, Novosibirsk scientists managed to significantly reduce the cost of this material. Now nanotubulene can be produced not in kilograms, but in tons.

The hardest metal

This metal is used in industry, smelting chromium steel, nichrome, and so on. It is used for anti-corrosion and decorative coatings. Stone meteorites falling to Earth are very rich in chromium.

The most durable tree

Wood is one and a half times stronger than cast iron, and its bending strength is approximately equal to that of iron. Because of these properties, iron birch could sometimes replace metal, because this wood is not subject to corrosion and rotting. The hull of a vessel made of Iron Birch does not even need to be painted; the vessel will not be destroyed by corrosion, and it is also not afraid of acids.

A Schmidt birch cannot be pierced by a bullet; you cannot cut it down with an axe. Of all the birches on our planet, the Iron Birch is the longest-living one - it lives for four hundred years. Its habitat is the Kedrovaya Pad Nature Reserve. This is a rare protected species that is listed in the Red Book. If it were not for such rarity, the ultra-strong wood of this tree could be used everywhere.

But the tallest trees in the world, redwoods, are not very durable material.

The strongest material in the universe

Graphene will soon leave scientific laboratories. All scientists in the world today talk about its unique properties. So, a few grams of material will be enough to cover an entire football field. Graphene is very flexible and can be folded, bent, or rolled.

Possible areas of its use: solar panels, cell phones, touch screens, super-fast computer chips.
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What types of slabs for construction, repair and cladding of walls, floors and ceilings exist? Their features, advantages and disadvantages. If we take for example, frame houses, then durability and appearance Such houses directly depend on the panels used for interior and exterior cladding. Moreover, the use of panels with finished finishing or a layer of thermal insulation (sandwich panel) significantly reduces the already short construction time of a prefabricated frame house.

Chipboard

Chipboard It is made by hot pressing of wood shavings with binding thermoactive resins, which make up 6-18% of the mass of the shavings. Resins are environmentally unsafe because they contain formaldehyde, which is harmful to humans. Based on the content of this substance, chipboards are divided into classes E1 and E2. Class E1 is more environmentally friendly; it is approved for use in the production of even children's furniture. Entirely lined chipboards do not pose any harm to health, harmful effects Only open edges are provided. New technologies make it possible to produce Super E class slabs, which in all respects sanitary standards are considered safe. In general, the material is quite different high density, low cost and ease of processing. Chipboard is sheathed on walls, roofs, partitions, floors are made, and used as a base for linoleum and carpeting.

Advantages of chipboard:

• wide range of colors, patterns, thickness;
• easy to process;
• homogeneity of structure.

Disadvantages of chipboard:

• does not hold screws and nails well, especially during reassembly;
• vulnerable to moisture;
• contains carcinogens (for example, melamine).

MDF

Wood board medium density or dry pressed fibreboard. MDF from English (Medium Density Fiberboard). It is made from wood chips, ground into flour by dry pressing, at high temperature and pressure with the addition of lignin, which is found in natural wood. Lignin makes this material environmentally friendly and resistant to fungi and microorganisms. MDF boards come in thicknesses from 3 to 30 mm and are laminated with plastics, varnished or veneered. In terms of moisture resistance and mechanical characteristics MDF is superior to natural wood and chipboard. MDF is also 2 times stronger and holds screws better. MDF is used for finishing premises, for example, in the form of wall panels or laminated flooring - laminate, in the production of furniture, cabinets speaker systems. MDF has a homogeneous structure, is easy to process, and very durable.

Advantages of MDF:

• fire resistance;
• biostability;
• high strength;
• holds screws better than chipboard;
• moisture resistance is higher than that of chipboard;
• wide choice of colors and patterns thanks to film and veneer coating.

Disadvantages of MDF:

• burns with the release of toxic smoke;
• Dust-like sawdust generated during processing and sawing of slabs is harmful to health.

Drywall (GKL)

It is rightfully considered one of the most popular materials for leveling walls, ceilings and floors, installing interior partitions and even decorative elements such as arches, columns, spheroids, multi-level ceiling coverings, etc. Main component plasterboard sheets serves as a gypsum filler and this determines many of the positive qualities of the building material. Thus, drywall is chemically inert, its acidity is approximately equal to the acidity of human skin, it does not contain or emit chemicals. external environment chemical compounds harmful to humans. Standard plate 93% consists of gypsum dihydrate, 6% from cardboard and another 1% is made up of surfactants, starch and moisture.

Thus, the fragility of the panels complicates their transportation and loading and unloading operations. For the same reason, gypsum board cannot withstand significant physical stress and is not recommended for leveling floors. Suspended plasterboard ceilings can support a weight of no more than 4 kg per square meter, while stretch ceiling capable of carrying a load of more than 100 kg on the same unit of area.

A variation or more modern modification of a simple sheet of plasterboard is painted or laminated drywall, gypsum vinyl or gypsum board— colored plasterboard, vinyl coated. A fundamentally new material that has an initially exclusive appearance with a wide selection of decor. It is applied for internal lining walls, for covering window slopes, creating partitions, showcases and exhibition racks, without additional finishing.

Laminated plasterboard, gypsum vinyl or gypsolam - colored plasterboard covered with vinyl coating

These environmentally friendly non-flammable panels are a gypsum board covered on both sides with special cardboard. They have ideal geometry and are used for the device internal partitions and ceiling linings. Supplied in sheets 2700 (3000) x 1200 x 12 mm. Special grades of plasterboard are produced for wet (bathroom) and fire hazardous (wall near the fireplace) rooms. They are painted in “signal” colors - red and green. There is also plasterboard of increased plasticity (thickness 6 mm, width 900 mm) for covering rounded walls. Sandwich panels are made from plasterboard with a heat-insulating layer of polyurethane foam (up to 50 mm). They are already used for internal lining external walls without subsequent insulation and vapor barrier. This significantly reduces construction time.

Advantages of drywall:

• does not burn, but is destroyed when heated significantly;

Disadvantages of drywall:

• low strength, fragility;
• greater vulnerability to moisture, even of a moisture-resistant variety;
• does not tolerate well low temperature and significant temperature changes;
• only suitable for interior decoration.

Plasterboard

Gypsum slabs practical, modern and environmentally friendly material, as it is made without the use of toxic substances from natural gypsum, which does not conduct electricity and is odorless. Gypsum board meets all requirements fire safety. Gypsum board, gypsum tongue-and-groove slab(GGP) is the main material in the construction of partitions, suspended ceilings, and various decorative projections. Used for leveling ceilings, walls, and “sealing” communication systems. Gypsum plaster can be moisture resistant and standard. Standard is used in buildings with normal humidity. Boards with hydrophobic additives are intended for damp rooms. Such slabs are easily distinguished by their characteristic green color.

Advantages of gypsum boards:

• environmental and sanitary safety;
• easy to process: cut, drill;
• low flammable material, flammability class G1
• relatively cheap.

Disadvantages of plasterboards:

• low strength, fragility;
• greater vulnerability to moisture, even of a moisture-resistant variety.

Gypsum fiber sheet

Gypsum fiber sheet (GVL) is a modern environmentally friendly homogeneous material with excellent technical characteristics. It is produced by semi-dry pressing of a mixture of gypsum and cellulose waste paper. According to their own physical properties gypsum fiber sheet is quite durable, hard material, also famous for its fire-resistant qualities.

Gypsum fiber sheet, due to its versatility, has become very widespread in construction industry. It is used for the installation of interior partitions, floor screeds, suspended ceilings, wall cladding and fire protection of structures. GVL for the floor, which is used to assemble the base of the floor covering, is popular, as well as the facing option, with which, for example, wooden surfaces are sheathed, thereby increasing their fire resistance. Depending on the area of ​​application, gypsum fiber sheets are divided into two types: GVLV (moisture resistant) and GVL (regular).

Advantages of gypsum fiber sheets:

• GVL, compared to gypsum plasterboard, can more easily withstand sawing in any direction, since it is homogeneous in composition;
• Higher strength due to cellulose fiber reinforcement;
• Increased sound insulation.

Flaws gypsum fiber sheets:

• Less bending strength than gypsum board;
• Less suitable for interior decoration than gypsum board;
• Necessity pre-treatment before painting.

Cement particle boards (CSP)- an ideal material for external cladding of frames and partitions in damp and flammable rooms, serves as a good leveling base for any floor coverings. It has a hard and smooth surface, can be plastered and tiled, sawn with a hacksaw, is non-flammable, resistant to moisture and temperature fluctuations. Supplied in sheets 3600 x 1200 x 10 (12, 16, 20 and 26) mm.

Plywood is one of the most common materials widely used in construction. Plywood is produced by gluing together several layers of peeled veneer with phenol-formaldehyde resins. For this purpose, as a rule, birch or coniferous veneer of small thickness is used. The choice of these species is due to their wide distribution in our forests: in Europe, New Zealand and some other countries for the production of plywood different varieties oak, maple, hornbeam and even pear are widely used. Veneer gluing is carried out under pressure at elevated temperatures. The resulting sheets are cooled, and after a short period of curing, they are collected in packages of 10 or 20 pieces.

Depending on the wood and glue used in the production of plywood, it is classified into:

• plywood with increased moisture resistance (FSF)
• medium moisture-resistant plywood (FC)
• bakelized plywood (BF)

- is plywood lined on one or both sides with a paper-resin coating. This coating very effectively prevents the penetration of moisture, is highly resistant to abrasion and the formation of mold and mildew, and is resistant to corrosion and destruction. This type of plywood is quite popular due to lamination. Using lamination, you can apply almost any pattern or imitation: oak, poplar, maple, birch, walnut, pine and larch.

Advantages of plywood:

• high tensile and bending strength;
• Excellent sawing, drilling and fastening with both nails and screws;
• relatively inexpensive material.

Disadvantages of plywood:

• resins used for gluing veneer contain a fairly high concentration of phenolic compounds;
• flammability;

Oriented Strand Board

Oriented Strand Board (OSB), produced by pressing chips up to 0.7 mm thick and up to 140 mm long under high pressure and temperature using a small amount of adhesive resin. OSB boards are 3 times stronger than chipboard and MDF boards due to the arrangement of chips longitudinally in the outer layers and transversely in the inner ones. With such strength, OSB is a very flexible material and is excellent for construction and finishing works. OSB boards of various thicknesses (from 6 to 30 mm) are used to sheathe attics, ceilings, walls, and are used to make subfloors, formwork, Wall panels, fencing and collapsible structures. For laminate flooring, the thinnest slabs are usually used - 6 and 8 mm thick, for structures and formwork thicker ones - from 10 mm. OSB-3 is a more durable version of this material, used in low-rise construction in conditions of high humidity. Also, because of its original texture, OSB is a favorite material among decorators and designers for interior decoration. OSB makes a fairly impressive design for the ceiling or elements in built-in furniture or walls.

Along with conventional OSB boards, there are also OSB tongue and groove- a plate with machined ends, groove - ridge, on 2 or 4 sides.

Advantages of OSB:

• strength relative to other slabs used;
• moisture resistance is higher than that of chipboard and gypsum board;
• wide size range;
• cheaper than chipboard;
• holds screws well, even when screwing in again.

Disadvantages of OSB:

• it is processed worse than chipboard due to the heterogeneity of the structure;
• dust released when cutting OSB irritates the mucous membranes of the nose and eyes.
• contains formaldehyde, especially in moisture-resistant boards.

Glass magnesium sheet

Glass magnesium sheet or glass magnesite sheet (SML) white, fiberglass reinforced, 40 percent lighter than GVL, flexible, durable, fireproof, moisture resistant. Thanks to the reinforcing fiberglass mesh, the SML can bend with a radius of curvature of up to three meters. This quality allows it to be used on uneven surfaces. High moisture-resistant qualities allow it to be used in rooms with high humidity. On front side Any finishing materials can be glued onto the slabs. With a sheet thickness of 6mm, it is capable of holding fire for 2 hours and can withstand heating up to 1500 degrees. Sheet thickness: 3-20 mm.

Glass-magnesium sheet (GSM) - universal sheet finishing material based on magnesite and fiberglass. The manufacturing technology and composition of the material give it such qualities as flexibility, strength, fire resistance and moisture resistance. Its qualities allow it to be used on uneven surfaces and reduces the possibility of sheet fracture during installation and transfer. In addition, this material is environmentally friendly and does not contain harmful substances and asbestos, does not emit toxic substances even when heated. Unlike plasterboard, SML-Premium class belongs to low-combustibility materials (NG).

The scope of application of glass-magnesium sheet is extremely high. Like plasterboard, it can be used to make ceilings, walls and interior partitions. Moreover, glass-magnesite sheets can be used to decorate the external facades of cottages and houses. SML is a reliable basis for any type of finishing. New material ideal for showers, saunas, swimming pools - because the glass-magnesium sheet can withstand high humidity, temperature changes and open fire. The most suitable materials can be applied to the surface of LSU different types putties, paints, adhesives. You can stick wallpaper, aluminum-composite panels, veneer, plastic, ceramic, glass or mirror tiles.

The front (smooth) surface of the sheets is intended for painting, wallpapering, laminating and applying various types of decorative textures without preliminary, final puttying and priming of the entire surface of the material. The back (rough) surface of the sheets is intended for strong adhesion when gluing piece facing and decorative materials(ceramic or tiles, veneer, etc.), or the material itself on the walls and floor, gluing the sheets together. LSU can be mounted on a mounting system made of both metal and wood. And also directly onto the enclosing structure using glue.

Along with conventional glass-magnesium sheets, in Lately began to appear more and more often laminated glass magnesium sheets with a variety of patterns and thickness of the outer coating.

Advantages of glass magnesite:

• Moisture resistance - does not undergo deformation, does not swell and does not lose its properties;
• Fire resistance - magnesite panels are non-flammable material;
• Good sound insulation - a 12mm panel in terms of sound permeability corresponds to four layers of twelve mm plasterboard sheet, or brick wall 150mm thick;
• High strength and flexibility - can bend with a radius of curvature from 25 cm to 3 meters;
• Lighter than similar slabs made of wood or gypsum;
• Low thermal conductivity, can be used as additional insulation;
• Can be used for finishing both outside and inside.

Flaws glass magnesite :

• More fragile than gypsum fiber sheet;
• When filling joints, it is necessary to use putties with chemical adhesives;
• Properties vary significantly depending on the manufacturer and class of LSU.

Fibrolite is a board material made by pressing special wood fiber (wood wool) and an inorganic binder (magnesium binder). The fiber is obtained from waste from the wood processing industry, as a result of processing on wood planing machines. One of the advantages of fiberboard boards is small volume weight. Fiberboard is fire resistant: the shavings are impregnated with cement, and when exposed to fire, only soot is formed. The material allows for various finishing options, is easily attached to any structure using nails, screws, dowels, and can be easily sawed.

- a fire-resistant, bioresistant material that is used as thermal insulation, structural, thermal insulation and acoustic materials in building structures buildings and structures with relative humidity air no higher than 75%.

Conventional fiberboard boards are produced with a thickness of 3-5 mm using as a binder gray cement. These plates are used for various types of thermal insulation, when installing roofing and plastered partitions. Acoustic slabs are usually made from fine wood wool (0.75-2 mm), which improves their appearance, are not covered with anything, and are also tinted in colors that harmonize with the interior or are made using magnesite or white cement instead of grey. Composite fiberboard panel is a two- or three-layer panel with a middle layer of thermal insulation material, such as rigid foam or mineral fiber (mineral silicate wool). The thickness of the middle layer usually ranges from 15 to 140 mm, although the outer layers of fiberboard range from 5 to 20 mm in thickness. In this case, the level of thermal insulation increases significantly.

Advantages of fiberboard boards:

• Ease of installation;
• Good insulation;
• Mechanically strong;
• Extensive decorative possibilities;
• Good moisture resistance and fire resistance;
• Soundproofing;
• Hygiene, harmless to human health and the environment;
• Do not spoil rodents and insects, does not rot.

Flaws fiberboard slabs :

• Low bending strength;
• Considerable weight.

Feel free to comment on the article if you have anything to add to this material. If you find errors or inconsistencies. Perhaps you know some other similar material not presented in this article?

A lightweight and durable material similar in weight to aluminum, but almost 25 times stronger due to the use of boron nitride nanotubes.

Description:

Boron nitride nanotubes are structural analogues carbon nanotubes. Boron nitride ( chemical formula: BN) is a binary compound of boron and nitrogen. Boron nitride, like carbon, can form single-atom-thick sheets that are rolled into cylinders to create nanotubes.

Boron nitride nanotubes. Scale bar – 1 micrometer:

Types of composites:

– nanocomposites created by sputtering metal onto nanotubes;

– a thin strip that looks like regular aluminum, but has nanostructures embedded in it. The strength of these structures is 50 times greater than steel.

Advantages of boron nitride nanotubes:

– straight, elastic, their location is easier to control, achieving a uniform and, accordingly, more durable texture of the material;

– Compared to carbon nanotubes, they are more stable at high temperatures;

– can be used to shield neutron and ultraviolet radiation;

– have piezoelectric properties - they can generate electric charge when stretched;

– boron nitride is chemically passive, it reacts weakly with acids and solutions.

Advantages of the material:

– equipment made with using light and durable material, it will become lighter, while maintaining other important qualities;

– reduction of fuel consumption when transporting lightweight and durable material, increasing the range of movement and volumes of transported goods.

Lightweight and durable material can be used:

– in aircraft manufacturing;

– in mechanical engineering;

– V construction varying degrees of complexity;

– in biomedicine, etc.

Do you know which material on our planet is considered the strongest? We all know from school that diamond is the strongest mineral, but it is far from the strongest.

Hardness is not the main property that characterizes matter. Some properties may prevent scratches, while others may promote elasticity. Want to know more? Here is a rating of materials that will be very difficult to destroy.

Diamond in all its glory

A classic example of strength, stuck in textbooks and heads. Its hardness means it is scratch resistant. On the Mohs scale (a qualitative scale that measures the resistance of various minerals), a diamond shows a result of 10 (the scale goes from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest solid). Diamond is so hard that other diamonds must be used to cut it.

A web that can stop an airbus

Often cited as the world's most complex biological substance (though this claim is now disputed by its inventors), Darwin's web is stronger than steel and has greater stiffness than Kevlar. Its weight is no less remarkable: a thread long enough to encircle the Earth weighs only 0.5 kg.

Aerographite in a regular package

This synthetic foam is one of the lightest building materials in the world. Aerographite is about 75 times lighter than polystyrene foam (but much stronger!). This material can be compressed to 30 times its original size without damaging its structure. Another interesting point: Aerographite can support 40,000 times its own weight.

Glass during a crash test

This substance was developed by scientists in California. Microalloy glass has an almost perfect combination of rigidity and strength. The reason for this is that its chemical structure reduces the brittleness of glass, but retains the rigidity of palladium.

Tungsten drill

Tungsten carbide is incredibly hard and has qualitatively high rigidity, but it is quite brittle and can be bent easily.

Silicon carbide in the form of crystals

This material is used to create armor for battle tanks. In fact, it is used in almost anything that can protect against bullets. It has a Mohs hardness rating of 9 and also has low thermal expansion.

Molecular structure of boron nitride

About as strong as diamond, cubic boron nitride has one important advantage: it is insoluble in nickel and iron at high temperatures. For this reason, it can be used to process these elements (diamond forms of nitrides with iron and nickel at high temperatures).

Dyneema cable

Considered the strongest fiber in the world. You might be surprised by this fact: Dainima is lighter than water, but it can stop bullets!

Alloy tube

Titanium alloys are extremely flexible and have very high tensile strength, but do not have the same rigidity as steel alloys.

Amorphous metals change shape easily

Liquidmetal was developed by Caltech. Despite its name, this metal is not liquid and room temperature have a high level of strength and wear resistance. When heated, amorphous alloys can change shape.

Future paper could be harder than diamonds

This latest invention is created from wood pulp, while having a greater degree of strength than steel! And much cheaper. Many scientists consider nanocellulose to be a cheap alternative to palladium glass and carbon fiber.

saucer shell

We mentioned earlier that Darwin's spiders spin threads of some of the strongest organic material on Earth. Nevertheless, the limpet's teeth turned out to be even stronger than the webs. Limpet teeth are extremely tough. The reason for these amazing characteristics is the purpose: collecting algae from the surface of rocks and corals. Scientists believe that in the future we could copy the fibrous structure of limpet teeth and use it in the automobile industry, ships and even the aviation industry.

A rocket stage in which many components contain maraging steels

This substance combines a high level of strength and rigidity without loss of elasticity. Steel alloys of this type are used in aerospace and industrial manufacturing technologies.

Osmium crystal

Osmium is extremely dense. It is used in the manufacture of things that require high level strength and hardness (electrical contacts, tip handles, etc.).

Kevlar helmet stopped a bullet

Used in everything from drums to bulletproof vests, Kevlar is synonymous with toughness. Kevlar is a type of plastic that has extremely high tensile strength. In fact, it is approximately 8 times greater than that of steel wire! It can also withstand temperatures around 450℃.

Spectra pipes

High performance polyethylene is truly durable plastic. This lightweight, strong thread can withstand incredible tension and is ten times stronger than steel. Similar to Kevlar, Spectra is also used for ballistic resistant vests, helmets and armored vehicles.

Flexible graphene screen

A sheet of graphene (an allotrope of carbon) one atom thick is 200 times stronger than steel. Although graphene looks like cellophane, it is truly amazing. It would take a school bus balancing on a pencil to pierce a standard A1 sheet of this material!

New technology that could revolutionize our understanding of strength

This nanotechnology is made from carbon tubes that are 50,000 times thinner than human hair. This explains why it is 10 times lighter than steel but 500 times stronger.

microlattice alloys are regularly used in satellites

The world's lightest metal, metal microlattice is also one of the lightest structural materials on Earth. Some scientists claim that it is 100 times lighter than polystyrene foam! A porous but extremely strong material, it is used in many fields of technology. Boeing has mentioned using it in aircraft, mainly in floors, seats and walls.

Nanotube model

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) can be described as “seamless cylindrical hollow fibers” that consist of a single rolled molecular sheet of pure graphite. The result is very lightweight material. At the nanoscale, carbon nanotubes have 200 times the strength of steel.

Fantastic airbrush is hard to even describe!

Also known as graphene airgel. Imagine the strength of graphene combined with unimaginable lightness. Airgel is 7 times lighter than air! This incredible material can fully recover from over 90% compression and can absorb up to 900 times its weight in oil. It is hoped that this material can be used to clean up oil spills.

Massachusetts Polytechnic Main Building

At the time of this writing, scientists at MIT believe they have discovered the secret to maximizing the 2D strength of graphene in 3D. Their as-yet unnamed substance may have about 5% the density of steel, but 10 times the strength.

Molecular structure of carbyne

Despite being a single chain of atoms, carbyne has twice the tensile strength of graphene and three times the stiffness of diamond.

birthplace of boron nitride

This natural substance is produced in the craters of active volcanoes and is 18% stronger than diamond. It is one of two naturally occurring substances currently found to be harder than diamonds. The problem is that there is not much of this substance, and now it is difficult to say for sure whether this statement is 100% true.

Meteorites are the main sources of lonsdaleite

Also known as hexagonal diamond, this substance is made up of carbon atoms, but they are simply arranged differently. Along with wurtzite boron nitride, it is one of two natural substances harder than diamond. In fact, Lonsdaleite is 58% harder! However, as with the previous substance, it is found in relatively small volumes. Sometimes it occurs when graphite meteorites collide with planet Earth.

The future is just around the corner, so by the end of the 21st century we can expect the emergence of ultra-strong and ultra-light materials that will replace Kevlar and diamonds. In the meantime, one can only be amazed at the development of modern technologies.