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Strength is defined as the ability of a material to resist degradation under impact. external forces and factors leading to internal tension. For materials that have high strength, wide scope. In nature, there are not only hard metals and durable wood species, but also artificially created high-strength materials. Many people believe that the hardest material in the world is diamond, but is it really true?

General information:

Opening date - early 60s;

Pioneers - Sladkov, Kudryavtsev, Korshak, Kasatkin;

Density - 1.9-2 g / cm3.

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

After a thorough study of its properties, the scientists explained that in terms of strength it cannot be compared with any previously discovered and studied material. However, significant difficulties arose during the production process: the structure of carbine is formed from carbon atoms assembled in long chains, as a result of which it begins to break down during the production process.

To eliminate the identified snag, physicists from the public university in Vienna created a special protective coating in which carbine was synthesized. As protective coating layers of graphene were used, laid on top of each other and rolled into a "thermos". While physicists have been working hard to achieve stable shapes, they have figured out electrical properties material is affected by the length of the atomic chain.

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

Carbin 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 result of the experiment with detailed description discovery of the material in 1967 appeared on the pages of one of the largest scientific journals - "Reports of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR". 15 years later in the American scientific journal Science published an article questioning 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 found in interstellar space.

General information:

Pioneers - Geim, Novoselov;

Thermal conductivity - 1 TPa.

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

The pioneers of the material were Russian physicists, Andrey Geim and Konstantin Novoselov. In their own country, the scientists did not secure financial support 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, the area of ​​which is equal to one square meter, and the thickness is one atom, objects weighing up to four kilograms are freely held. In addition to being a highly durable material, graphene is also very flexible. From a material with such characteristics, in the future it will be possible to weave threads and other rope structures that are not inferior in strength to a thick steel rope. At certain conditions the material discovered by Russian physicists can cope with damage in 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, found in a meteorite funnel, 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 indicators, however, it was proved that if there are no impurities in it, then it will in no way be inferior to the high hardness of 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 of wurtzite boron nitride, which is a compound of boron with nitrogen, are thermal and chemical resistance and fire resistance. The material can be of different crystalline form. For example, graphite is the softest, but stable, it is used in cosmetology. The sphalerite structure in the crystal lattice is 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 Gn / m2;

Strength - 4 Gn / m2;

The year of discovery of metallic glass is 1960.

Metallic glass is a material with a high hardness index, 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 KST - 0.25-0.3 MJ / m2;

Elastic limit - 1500 MPa;

KCU - 0.4-0.6 MJ / m2.

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

Osmium

General information:

Opening year - 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 platinoids. Osmium, having a high atomic density, exceptional refractoriness, brittleness, high strength, hardness and resistance to mechanical influences and aggressive influence environment, is widely used in surgery, measuring technology, chemical industry, electron microscopy, rocket technology 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. Structure composite materials can be either unidirectional or three-dimensional. Due to these qualities, composites are widely used in various fields, 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 island nation Madagascar. Officially, this type of spider was discovered in 2010. Scientists, first of all, were interested in the webs woven by arthropods. The diameter of the circles on the carrier thread can reach up to two meters. Darwin's web is more durable than synthetic Kevlar used in the aviation and automotive industries.

General information:

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

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

Density - 3.47-3.55 g / cm3;

The refractive index is 2.417-2.419.

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

Just a brilliant discovery was made by Chinese scientists. It was they who discovered the lightest material on earth to the world. Its mass is so small that it is easily held on the flower petals. The composition of the amazing material includes graphene oxide and lyof

Just a brilliant discovery was made by Chinese scientists. It was they who discovered the lightest material on earth to the world. Its mass is so small that it is easily held on the flower petals. The composition of the amazing material includes graphene oxide and freeze-dried carbon. Graphene matter has an interesting spongy structure, and weighs only 0.16 mg/cm3. It is thanks to this structure of the airgel that the material is the lightest of the solid materials in the world. A unique discovery is already predicted by many practical and incredible discoveries. Graphene in its native form is a two-dimensional crystal. In addition, he is the most thin material on the ground made by hands. Just imagine that in order to achieve a column height of 1 millimeter, it is necessary to fold one to one 3 million plates of a miracle material. But such, at first glance, a fragile structure, is not at all such.
Graphene is also remarkably strong and durable. A sheet of such material, one thickness plastic bag, easily withstands the weight of one elephant. But this is not all the merits of graphene. In addition to its amazing strength and strength, it is also amazingly flexible. Without any loss or damage to the structure, the material can be stretched up to 20% of the total size. Moreover, recently scientists managed to discover another unique property of graphene. With it, you can filter water, trapping various harmful gases and liquids inside the material.

The lightest and most durable materials are called the future of construction. These materials will help create more energy efficient and environmentally friendly facilities in all areas of people's lives - from medical technology to transport.

Among the many innovative materials, which not so long ago seemed just a fantasy, especially advanced and promising are:

3D graphene

Made from pure carbon, this ultra-thin graphene is considered one of the strongest materials on Earth. But recently, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were able to turn two-dimensional graphene into a three-dimensional structure. They created new material with spongy texture. The density of 3D graphene is only 5 percent of the density of steel, but thanks to its special structure, it is 10 times stronger than steel.

According to the creators, 3D graphene has great application potential in many areas.

As for its creation technology, it can be applied to other materials, from polymers to structural concrete. This will allow not only to produce structures that are stronger and lighter, but also having increased insulating properties. In addition, porous structures can be used in water filtration systems or chemical plant waste.

Carbine

Last spring, a group of Austrian researchers successfully synthesized Carbyne, a form of carbon that is the strongest known material and even surpasses graphene.

Carbyne consists of a one-dimensional chain of carbon atoms that is reactive, making it very difficult to synthesize. The inflexible material is believed to be twice as strong as carbon nanotubes. Carbin can be used in nanomechanics, nano- and microelectronics.

Aerographite

Created from a network of porous carbon tubes, airbrush is a synthetic foam. This is one of the easiest construction materials ever created. Aerographite was developed by researchers from the University of Kiel and Technical University Hamburg. Aerographite can be made in various forms, its density is only 180 g/m 3 , which is 75 times lighter than expanded polystyrene. This material can be used in lithium-ion battery electrodes to reduce their weight.

Airbrush

Also known as graphene airgel, it is light material with a density of only 0.16 mlg / cm 3, which is 7.5 times less than the density of air. In addition, it is a very elastic material, and it is able to absorb up to 900 times more oils and water than it weighs itself. This property of airbrush is very important: it will be able to absorb oil spills in the oceans.

It has similar properties, which is already being tested by researchers from Argonne.

Osmium is currently defined as the most heavy matter on the planet. Just one cubic centimeter of this substance weighs 22.6 grams. It was discovered in 1804 by the English chemist Smithson Tennant, when gold was dissolved in the After, a precipitate remained in the test tube. This happened due to the peculiarity of osmium, it is insoluble in alkalis and acids.

The heaviest element on the planet

It is a bluish-white metallic powder. It occurs naturally as seven isotopes, six of which are stable and one is unstable. The density is slightly superior to iridium, which has a density of 22.4 grams per cubic centimeter. Of the materials discovered to date, the heaviest substance in the world is osmium.

It belongs to a group such as lanthanum, yttrium, scandium and other lanthanides.

More expensive than gold and diamonds

It is mined very little, about ten thousand kilograms per year. Even the largest source of osmium, the Dzhezkazgan deposit, contains about three ten-millionths. The exchange value of a rare metal in the world reaches about 200 thousand dollars per gram. At the same time, the maximum purity of the element during the cleaning process is about seventy percent.

Although Russian laboratories managed to obtain a purity of 90.4 percent, the amount of metal did not exceed a few milligrams.

The Density of Matter Beyond Planet Earth

Osmium is undoubtedly the leader of the heaviest elements on our planet. But if we turn our gaze into space, then many substances heavier than our "king" of heavy elements will open to our attention.

The fact is that in the Universe there are conditions somewhat different than on Earth. The gravitation of the series is so great that the matter is incredibly compacted.

If we consider the structure of the atom, it will be found that the distances in the interatomic world are somewhat reminiscent of the cosmos we see. Where planets, stars and others are at a sufficiently large distance. The rest is occupied by emptiness. It is this structure that atoms have, and with strong gravity, this distance decreases quite a lot. Up to the “pressing” of some elementary particles into others.

Neutron stars - superdense objects of space

By searching beyond our Earth, we may be able to detect the heaviest matter in space in neutron stars.

These are quite unique space inhabitants, one of possible types evolution of stars. The diameter of such objects is from 10 to 200 kilometers, with a mass equal to our Sun or 2-3 times more.

This cosmic body mainly consists of a neutron core, which consists of fluid neutrons. Although according to some assumptions of scientists, it should be in solid state, there is no reliable information at present. However, it is known that neutron stars, reaching their compression redistribution, subsequently turn into with a colossal energy release, of the order of 10 43 -10 45 joules.

The density of such a star is comparable, for example, with the weight of Mount Everest placed in Matchbox. These are hundreds of billions of tons in one cubic millimeter. For example, to make it more clear how high the density of matter is, let's take our planet with its mass of 5.9 × 1024 kg and “turn” it into a neutron star.

As a result, to match the density neutron star, it must be reduced to the size of an ordinary apple, with a diameter of 7-10 centimeters. The density of unique stellar objects increases as you move towards the center.

Layers and density of matter

The outer layer of a star is represented by a magnetosphere. Directly below it, the density of matter already reaches the order of one ton per cubic centimeter. Given our knowledge of the Earth, it is currently the heaviest substance ever found. But don't jump to conclusions.

Let's continue our research of unique stars. They are also called pulsars because high speed rotation around its axis. This indicator for various objects ranges from several tens to hundreds of revolutions per second.

Let us proceed further in the study of superdense cosmic bodies. Then comes a layer that has the characteristics of a metal, but is most likely similar in behavior and structure. The crystals are much smaller than what we see in crystal lattice earthly substances. To build a line of crystals of 1 centimeter, you will need to lay out more than 10 billion elements. The density in this layer is one million times higher than in the outer layer. It is not the heaviest matter of a star. This is followed by a layer rich in neutrons, the density of which is a thousand times higher than the previous one.

The core of a neutron star and its density

Below is the core, it is here that the density reaches its maximum - twice as high as the overlying layer. The substance of the core of a celestial body consists of all elementary particles known to physics. With this, we have reached the end of the journey to the core of the star in search of the heaviest matter in space.

The mission in search of substances unique in density in the Universe, it would seem, has been completed. But space is full of mysteries and undiscovered phenomena, stars, facts and patterns.

Black holes in the universe

You should pay attention to what is already open today. These are black holes. Perhaps it is these mysterious objects that can be contenders for the fact that the heaviest substance in the Universe is their component. Note that the gravity of black holes is so strong that light cannot escape.

According to the assumptions of scientists, the substance, drawn into the region of space-time, is compacted so much that there is no space between elementary particles.

Unfortunately, beyond the event horizon (the so-called boundary where light and any object, under the influence of gravitational forces, cannot leave a black hole), our guesses and indirect assumptions follow, based on emissions of particle flows.

A number of scientists suggest that beyond the event horizon, space and time mix. There is an opinion that they can be a "passage" to another Universe. Perhaps this corresponds to the truth, although it is quite possible that another space opens up beyond these limits with completely new laws. An area where time will change "place" with space. The location of the future and the past is determined only by the choice of following. Like our choice to go right or left.

It is potentially possible that there are civilizations in the universe that have mastered time travel through black holes. Perhaps in the future, people from planet Earth will discover the secret of time travel.

Do you know what material on our planet is considered the strongest? We all know from school that diamond is the strongest mineral, but it is far from being 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 scratch resistance. On the Mohs scale (a qualitative scale that measures the resistance of various minerals), diamond scores at 10 (the scale goes from 1 to 10, where 10 is the hardest substance). The diamond is so hard that other diamonds must be used to cut it.

A web that can stop an airbus

Often referred to as the world's most complex biological substance (although this claim is now disputed by inventors), Darwin's spider web is stronger than steel and more rigid than Kevlar. Its weight is no less remarkable: a filament long enough to encircle the Earth weighs only 0.5 kg.

Airbrush in a regular package

This synthetic foam is one of the lightest building materials in the world. Airbrush is about 75 times lighter than Styrofoam (but much stronger!). This material can be compressed up to 30 times its original size without compromising its structure. Another interesting point: airbrush can withstand a mass of 40,000 times its own weight.

Glass during a crash test

This substance was developed by scientists in California. Microalloyed glass has an almost perfect combination of stiffness 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 a high quality high rigidity, but it is quite fragile, it can be easily bent.

Silicon carbide in the form of crystals

This material is used in making armor for battle tanks. In fact, it is used in almost everything that can protect against bullets. It has a Mohs hardness rating of 9 and also has low level 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

It is considered the strongest fiber in the world. You may be surprised by the fact that dyneema is lighter than water, but it can stop bullets!

alloy tube

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

Amorphous metals easily change shape

Liquidmetal was developed by Caltech. Despite the 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 may be harder than diamonds

This is latest invention 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 weave some of the strongest organic material on Earth. Nevertheless, the teeth of the sea limpet turned out to be even stronger than the cobwebs. Limpet teeth are extremely hard. The reason for these amazing characteristics is in the purpose: collecting algae from the surface rocks and corals. Scientists believe that in the future we could copy the fibrous structure of limpet teeth and use it in the automotive industry, ships and even the aviation industry.

Rocket stage in which many nodes 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 production technologies.

osmium crystal

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

Kevlar helmet stopped the 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 about 8 times greater than that of steel wire! It can also withstand temperatures around 450℃.

Spectra pipes

High performance polyethylene is indeed 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 balanced on a pencil to pierce a standard A1 sheet of this material!

A new technology that could revolutionize our understanding of strength

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

microlattice alloys are regularly used in satellites

The lightest metal in the world, the metal microgrid is also one of the lightest structural materials on Earth. Some scientists claim that it is 100 times lighter than Styrofoam! A porous but extremely strong material, it is used in many areas of technology. Boeing has mentioned its use in aircraft manufacturing, 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 a very light material. On the nanoscale, carbon nanotubes are 200 times stronger than 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 own weight in oil. It is hoped that this material could be used to clean up oil spills.

Massachusetts Polytechnic Main Building

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

Molecular structure of carbine

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

birthplace of boron nitride

This natural substance is produced in the vent active volcanoes and 18% stronger than diamond. It is one of two naturally occurring substances that have now been found to be harder than diamonds. The problem is that there is not much of this substance out there, and it is now 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're just arranged differently. Along with wurtzite and boron nitride, it is one of two natural substances harder than diamond. In fact, Londsdaleite is 58% harder! However, as in the case of the previous substance, it is in relatively small volumes. Sometimes it occurs when graphite meteorites collide with planet Earth.

The future is not far off, so by the end of the 21st century we can expect the appearance of heavy-duty and ultralight materials, which will replace Kevlar and diamonds. In the meantime, one can only be surprised at the development of modern technologies.