Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Super-tough material mimics metal and crystal

tumadre - 21-4-2007 at 07:35

<br />
<a href="http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn11670-supertough-material-mimics-metal-and-crystal.html" target="_blank">http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn11670-supertough-material-mimics-metal-and-crystal.html</a><br />
rhenium diboride, no pressure, just melt rhenium and boron together.

they claim it will scratch diamond

not_important - 21-4-2007 at 07:54

Heh

"But all the known super-hard materials are very expensive because they [have to be] made at high pressure"

So substitute in the lost cost rhenium , at only US$ 6000 per troy ounce...

Waffles - 23-4-2007 at 03:53

Rhenium is $2500/pound. Considering many other metals, thats REALLY not that expensive.

At least now I know why Theo Gray contacted me looking for a picture of ReB2 for ACS.

not_important - 23-4-2007 at 04:59

You're correc - there appears to be two markets in rhenium, with a vast gap in the pricing.

Waffles - 24-4-2007 at 12:31

Quote:
Originally posted by not_important
You're correc - there appears to be two markets in rhenium, with a vast gap in the pricing.


I thought you just confused it with rhodium, which has been floating around 6000/troz oz for awhile now.

Re is way cooler anyways

Eclectic - 24-4-2007 at 12:46

It's good for making rocket nozzles and other things that need to be very strong at very high temperatures. Needs plating with Iridium to prevent oxidation though.

franklyn - 24-4-2007 at 18:01

http://www.whatsnextnetwork.com/technology/index.php/2007/04...

.

not_important - 24-4-2007 at 18:31

What it looks like is that several sites are mis-converting between troy and metric for their rhenium prices.

Magnesium-Aluminium borides with TiB2 doping still look to be cheaper by far.