Devices that work in lava layers…how to make them? | Science

If you're deeply concerned about dropping your phone into your fireplace, your worries may be unfounded in the future if you purchase a device made from a new ceramic material that can operate at temperatures equivalent to volcanic lava of.

A research team at Duke University in the US has successfully developed a method to quickly discover these materials, which they describe in a published study patrol Nature describes its various properties and applications, as they found that it is harder than steel and stable in chemically corrosive environments, so in addition to its use in construction equipment, it could form new corrosion-resistant coatings. The basis of the layers and the manufacturing of batteries.

The researchers discovered these materials using advanced computer methods that helped them predict how to make nearly 900 new super-strong materials, 17 of which they tested in the lab and proved highly successful.

and say statement “These new heat-resistant and electrically insulating ceramic materials come from mixing special ingredients using a process called hot-press sintering, a process somewhat similar to cooking in which the ingredients are Vacuum at extremely high temperatures.”

“The resulting ceramic looks a bit like metal, but is actually very hard enough to be used in many applications, including electronics,” the statement explains.

How did researchers discover it?

In the study, the researchers explain their method of preparing a new material that promises to revolutionize “device manufacturing,” which can be summarized in the following steps:

• First: Use the “DEAD” calculation method: It is a tool that can quickly calculate the properties of hundreds of thousands of possible material combinations without actually creating each material. This is done by focusing on what is called the heat content (enthalpy) and entropy, hence its name, in addition to the abbreviation letters, the “entropy descriptor”. Turbulence entropy, where entropy measures the strength and durability of a material design, and entropy represents the number of possible designs with similar strengths.
• Second: Discover materials: The research team used the DEAD algorithm to predict 900 new material combinations, and based on these predictions, 17 new materials were successfully produced and tested in the laboratory.
• Three: Experimental process: The method used to make these materials is called hot press sintering, which involves heating a powdered material compound under pressure in a vacuum at temperatures up to 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit for several hours. This process, including preparation, reaction and cooling, takes more than 8 hours.
• Four: Material characteristics: The resulting ceramic has a metallic, dark gray or black appearance, similar to metal alloys such as stainless steel.

Answered questions and other pending questions

The approach described by the researchers in the study raises a series of questions, which Dr. Khaled Hilali, professor of materials physics at Egypt's Illumination University, detailed in a phone interview with Al Jazeera Online:

• Practical applications: If researchers have success in research labs, how are current industries or manufacturers integrating these materials into their products or processes? Are some industries ready to adopt these ceramics earlier than others?
• Long-term durability and reliability: While these materials are designed to withstand extreme temperatures, their long-term durability and reliability must be tested. Is there a trend among researchers to test this over the long term in real applications or harsh environments?
• cost: Since these materials rely on high levels of energy, what are the cost implications of manufacturing these materials? How might this affect their widespread adoption? Are efforts being made to improve production methods to make these ceramics more cost-effective?
• Tested and verified: While 17 of the 900 formulations have been successfully produced and tested, what are the specific characteristics that make these 17 formulations stand out, and what criteria were used to select these formulations for production and laboratory testing?

A press release from Duke University contains the answer to the first question, while Clinton confirmed that the other three questions require follow-up study.

“They believe existing plants can modify their methods of making superhard ceramics in the way they describe in their study,” said Stefano Cortarolo, a professor at Duke University and lead researcher on the study.

“Our approach enables rapid discovery of tunable structures, allowing us to focus on improving properties that are disrupting industries,” he added.