Glass Metals

[Muad'dib]

you know you are a weapons dork, when the first thing you think of when you read this:

http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/06/2 ... atoms.html

Is "Fuck, I hope that will make a badass sword". Because it will. Oh, yes, it will...

[qiphlow]

that's cool and all, but when the hell do we get our lightsabers?

[Darth Rock&Roll]

pfft, good luck. I'm still waiting on the jet pack and the flying car for cripes sake.

Also, turkey dinner in pill form is not out yet either.

[Muad'dib]

Jetpack, we have. It's just nowadays refueling it will cost 10,000 USD.

[Ian]

Imagine how unstoppable I'll be when I get my hands on a glass sword and one of these:

[Kevin_Wallbridge]

Jet-man... my new hero.

Oh yah. glass swords = cool.

[nianfong]

amorphous metals already exist, and are being used for a select few consumer products around the world
http://www.liquidmetal.com/

they are amazingly strong, hard, and light. And are used like injection molding--though not quite to the same degree as plastic. kind of a hybrid between cast molding and injection molding. material is pretty expensive, but cheaper than forging steel. I doubt they hold an edge well.

[Ian]

Jet-man... my new hero.

I'll say.

Must be difficult flying with such a hefty set of brass figs.

[Muad'dib]

This isn't an amorphous metal fong, It's glass with the crystalline characteristics of metal. The link you sent is metal with the characteristics of glass (non-crystalline formation), which is one of the reasons it won't hold an edge.

[edededed]

I just want a seven star staff. Anyone know of a good (non-toxic) mercury replacement?

[Bill]

edededed
You could use a lead slug, and maybe a spring to return it back to original position.

[JonathanArthur]

i think encasing the mercury in a sealed section of metal tubing might work, although I wonder if the cane wouldn't split i when it strikes the floor.

if you come up with something let me know.

btw, i was told the chuan pu of the qi xing gun was available online. would you know where i might find it?

[meeks]

one method is to get a section of copper pipe, solder a cap on one end (solder it well!), pour the mercury in, then solder the other end shut.

then you tap that into a hollow staff

[edededed]

Hmm - is there no non-horribly-poisonous substitute for mercury, though? (Would hate to have to buy dozens of old thermometers and break them all to get it, too )

Yzp: Did you learn the qixinggan (not qixinggun)? Or are you planning to? If you are looking for just the Chinese characters (no pictures, no translations), I can copy Zhang Quanliang's version for you (he has three lines (36, 32, 32)).

[nianfong]

dan, per your article, the very last paragraph:

"Glassy metals probably will have much higher strength than a normal crystalline metal, improved corrosion resistance and they can produce lighter and stiffer components," O'Donnell said. "This research has helped identify the mechanism which will allow these metals to be able to make more easily."

note that the attractive forces between glass molecules are more likely that of molecular crystals--dipole attraction because the SiO2 molecule is polar. metallic bonds are different and I think more likely to hold an edge. from wikipedia, at the end of the entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystalline_solid

Crystal Particles Attractive Forces Melting point Other properties
Ionic Positive and negative ions Electrostatic attractions High Hard, brittle, good electrical conductor in molten state
Molecular Polar molecules London force and dipole-dipole attraction Low Soft, non-conductor or extremely poor conductor of electricity in liquid state
Molecular Non-polar molecules London force Low Soft, non-conductor or extremely poor conductor of electricity in liquid state
Network Atoms Covalent bonds Very high Very hard, non-conductor of electricity
Metallic Positive ions and mobile electrons Metallic bonds Fairly high Hard or soft, malleable and ductile, good electrical conductor