Hamburg  - A revolutionary "steel Velcro" type of fastener system made from adamantine steel may be useful in a range of settings, including hospitals and the aviation industry, according to a team of German scientists.

The German researchers at the Technical University of Munich, working in conjunction with industrial firms based in Germany, say they have created a new hook-and-loop fastener using steel, chosen for its high resistance to mechanical loads and chemical corrosion.

Steel is also highly ductile, meaning that it can deform significantly under high stresses without fracturing and breaking the grip.

In developing the fastener, which is dubbed "Metaklett," from the German word for Velcro "Klettband," Josef Mair and his colleagues tested a range of different hook designs.

After combining laboratory testing with computer simulations, the researchers settled on two specific designs, both of which are resistant to chemicals and remain fastened up to 800 degrees Celsius.

"I can imagine Metaklett being used in hospitals - for example, as a means of fastening curtains that doesn't get damaged when exposed to hospital cleaning," said Mair.

The automotive and aviation industries may also benefit from the new advance.

"Things can get very hot in the automotive sector. A car parked in direct sunlight can reach temperatures of 80 degrees Celsius and temperatures of several hundred degrees can arise around the exhaust manifold," said Mair.

The German researcher told physicsworld. com that he can envisage his new metal fastener being used both as a shield covering exhaust pipes and as a means of holding panels together in planes.

Velcro was invented more than 60 years ago by the Swiss inventor George de Mestral, who drew inspiration from the difficulty he experienced when removing burrs from the fur of his dog.

The product name originates from the French for velvet (velours) and hook (crochet) on account of the underlying mechanism - a piece of fabric covered in tiny hooks fastens to a second piece of fabric covered in tiny hairy loops. (dpa)